What Not to Do on a Work Computer

While working from home provides a number of benefits, it can also blur the line between work and personal time. Additionally, employees may develop a more carefree attitude toward what they do on their work computer while they are remote. This article discusses activities that employees should avoid while using company computers, whether they are remote or in the office.

What to abstain from while working remotely

Connect to a public network that is not password-protected

Working outside the office increases your mobility. If you have a business laptop, you can choose to work at a coffee shop one day and in a public park the next. However, never connect to public Wi-Fi while doing so. This is a plain-text network. Hackers can set up shop in order to gain access to your computer.

If you absolutely must utilize a public network, consider a virtual private network to add an additional layer of protection. This can assist in concealing your surfing activity from those monitoring your internet activity.

Conserve your personal files

You spend a lot of time on your work computer, and you’d want to accomplish a few personal tasks during the day. You may even begin storing personal data on the computer. Perhaps you created a desktop folder called “my stuff.”

This is not a smart idea, as personal data may be backed up to the cloud together with professional materials. While cloud backup is a sound corporate strategy, you are suddenly losing control of your personal information. Additionally, if you leave your employment, you will lose access to your computer and personal files.

Allow family members and friends to surf the Web.

Working from home has a pronounced effect on the office atmosphere. Individuals want to look for information, or children need to submit coursework online. And your work PC is conveniently located nearby! Why should they not utilize it?

This could result in the exposure of confidential corporate data or sensitive information. You may believe that “my ten-year-old will have no idea what that spreadsheet says.” Nonetheless, particularly in a regulated industry, you risk jeopardizing compliance.

What not to do at the office

Stream personal entertainment

You’re on break or things are sluggish at work, and you decide to catch up on your favorite television show. What could possibly go wrong?

Indeed, you may be obstructing your coworkers’ ability to execute their jobs. Streaming consumes bandwidth, and your organization has a limited quantity available. As a result, while you’re smiling at a sitcom, others are enduring hardship. Colleagues may be unable to join video sessions or may have to wait longer to obtain critical files.

Unrecognized links or attachments from unknown sources

This is a well-known one. It ranks alongside the practice of not using straightforward access credentials such as “password” or “letmein.” Take caution when clicking or downloading links or attachments. Cybercriminals are continually exploiting human error to obtain unauthorized access to corporate networks. Avoid being a weak link in your organization’s security posture.

Additionally, refrain from viewing non-work-related websites. If you are using the Internet for personal purposes at work, you are more likely to access a site that contains malware.

Download software without consulting IT beforehand

You may have a particular method of accomplishing tasks, but business computers lack the applications you are accustomed to. Choosing to download it to your own computer appears to be a safe choice. It could be a popular application or piece of software. It is not one of those dubious downloads mentioned previously.

However, downloading software on a work computer might create issues for the IT department, as they are unaware of what is happening on the systems. There may be upgrades or system updates that you overlook, resulting in a vulnerability. Additionally, you could risk noncompliance.

If you’re using a work computer, you should avoid the following six items. It makes no difference where you work; you must still consider cybersecurity and productivity for yourself and your colleagues.