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06 April 2020 / Paul Schwartfeger
Issue: 7883 / Categories: Features , Covid-19 , Data protection , Profession
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Remote working: a risky business?

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COVID-19 has forced a new way of working onto many of us, but in the rush to adapt the additional cybersecurity risks should not be ignored, says Paul Schwartfeger
  • Given the present uncertainties, we should be asking ourselves whether a particular communication tool or channel is appropriate for sharing information of an especially confidential kind.
  • Before we share it, we should also consider what steps we have taken to minimise the cybersecurity risks.

When the current lockdown began on 23 March, the state instructed people to work from home wherever possible. Many workplaces closed their doors in response, leaving us hastily finding new ways of working, meeting and keeping in touch from our homes. Usage of videoconferencing, online collaboration tools and chat systems surged as a result. However, the increased use of these tools has brought with it cybersecurity risks.

Warnings of these risks were amplified when UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted a photo of himself participating in a virtual cabinet meeting via the videoconferencing app ‘Zoom’.

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