New Employee Cybersecurity Tips All Employees Should Follow
Cybersecurity is an important concept for all employees to prioritize. New hires are especially vulnerable. These tips ensure your new employees are prepared to prioritize cybersecurity.
- Learn to Identify Suspicious Emails and Links
To prevent new employees from downloading harmful malware or viruses via email, train them to recognize suspicious emails and links.
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Ensure the display name and header address match.
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Check spelling.
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Right-click the links to verify their origin.
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Avoid urgency and pressure to click malicious links or share sensitive information.
- Protect Sensitive Information
The company’s and client’s sensitive information should not be stored in unencrypted files, including directly on the desktop or in a Word document or Excel sheet. Sticky notes or a Notes app are also not appropriate storage sites. Remind employees to lock flash drives in a cabinet when they’re not in use, too.
- Use Solid Password Practices
Give employees clear instructions for their passwords. Ideally, employees should create a strong, unique password for every account and change it often. The best passwords are difficult to guess and contain a combination of letters, numbers and special characters.
- Require Multi-factor Authentication
For added security, require a multi-factor authentication for logins to work-related files. This authentication can be a time-sensitive code, a smart token or fingerprints.
- Clean Devices
A clean desktop and mobile device supports security. Employees should remove unwanted apps and files and empty the recycling bin often.
- Install Software Updates
Software updates can include security patches and reduce device vulnerabilities. Set devices to install updates immediately or instruct new employees on how to install these updates manually.
- Maintain Antivirus and Malware Solutions
The antivirus and malware solutions your company uses protects all your devices. Clarify that employees should not remove or otherwise compromise these solutions on their devices
- Back Up Work
Computer crashes, hardware destruction and virus infections can devastate work files and document. Prevent data loss when you show new hires what, how and when to back up their work on your company’s preferred Cloud storage solution.
- Secure Personal Devices
If new employees can use their personal devices for work, establish guidelines for security. Separate files and other measures can protect work-related information in case the device is compromised, lost or stolen or the employee leaves the company.<
- Report Cybersecurity Breaches and Threats
Employees must understand the chain of command they should follow when reporting any data breaches or cyber threats they encounter. Usually, they should report a concern immediately to their supervisor or IT professional.
Train new employees to protect your company’s data and maintain security. These tips improve cybersecurity and should be included in every new hire’s orientation.