Top Cyber Security Tips to Utilize While Working From Home in Prescott, AZ

As millions around the globe continue to work from home in Prescott, AZ, it’s important to remain vigilant when it comes to staying safe online. Here are eight cybersecurity tips that you can start utilizing today. These suggestions will also come in handy for better financial security online… especially when checking investment and retirement accounts!

Tip #1: Encrypt Sensitive Data in Your Emails

If your position at work requires you to send sensitive financial information regularly, it’s important to encrypt data that’s been attached to your emails. In the event that a third-party is able to intercept an email, encrypted financial and/or sensitive data is much less likely to be compromised.

Tip #2: Use Public Wi-Fi With Caution

While most of us have been keeping our distance, there’s a chance that coffee shops and coworking spaces in Yavapai County will be opening up again soon. If you decide to relocate your virtual office to a public space, it’s crucial that you still utilize a secure internet connection, especially when considering retirement planning. Public Wi-Fi, especially that which is not password protected, is not secure and can easily be infiltrated.

Some options when using Wi-Fi outside of your home or office include:

Activating a personal hotspot from your phone or personal computer. Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which provides a secure connection to different financial services. Establish encrypted remote connections to a remote desktop or other individual servers.

Tip #3: Keep Work Data on Your Work Computer

It may not seem like a big deal if you do some work on your personal computer, but in some cases, it can be. If your company has a dedicated financial IT person or team, it’s likely they’re sending important updates to your computer, regularly running antivirus scans and blocking malicious sites. In other words, your work computer may have the preventative work and maintenance done on it to help keep you safe and protected online. Unless you’re diligently doing the same at home in Prescott, AZ, your personal computer may not be as well protected.

If antivirus scans are not running regularly in the background, then what you’re doing online for retirement planning could be intercepted by a third-party. Depending on what you’re doing, accessing financial documents or backend sites on your home computer could be putting your company and its network at risk.

Tip #4: Avoid Email Scams and Phishing

Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, remain vigilant of potential scam emails, either by unknown addresses or by scammers posing as financial people/businesses you know in Arizona. Once a scammer gains your trust or injects an undetected virus, they may try to steal important financial and sensitive information such as account numbers, passwords, or your Social Security number.

Tip #5: Don’t Leave Your Laptop Unattended

It may be tempting to do so, but never leave your laptop out in the open when working somewhere other than home or your financial advisor's office in Prescott, AZ. This could include keeping it in the car, on a table, or anywhere unattended. You never know who may be watching and waiting to take your belongings when you walk away.

Tip #6: Be Selective When Using USB Flash Drives

You may have various thumb drives sitting around the house that you’ve acquired over the years. If you can’t remember where it came from, think twice before using it, especially when considering financial activities like retirement planning or 401K implementation. Do not continue to use one if you have plugged it into a system for whose safety you can’t vouch for.

Tip #7: Use a USB Data Blocker When Charging at a Public Station

The time for people to begin working at shared working spaces again is drawing nearer. If you find yourself somewhere where you have access to a public charger, consider using a USB Data Blocker to prevent data exchange and guard against financial malware.

Tip #8: Keep your Passwords Safe

Make sure that you keep your computer, email, and important financial documents safe and secure for better retirement planning. In order to do so, you may want to consider using a password-saving tool, such as LastPass or Dashlane, especially when consulting with a financial planner or fiduciary advisor. These third-party tools allow you to safely store passwords you typically use online, saving you the headache of having to remember multiple passwords across various financial sites.

In regards to password creation and maintenance, there are few tips you can follow to help keep your financial accounts secure. These include:

• Don’t use real words
• Don’t use personal information
• Create long passwords
• Change passwords regularly
• Don’t type them on public devices

As states start to reopen in phases, many people in Yavapai County will be heading back to work or their favorite virtual office spot. Whether you’re at-home, in a coffee shop, or visiting a coworking space, continue to utilize these cybersecurity tips to keep yourself, your financial information, and your retirement accounts safe.

If you're seeking professional guidance, consider finding the best financial advisors or investment advisors near you who offer wealth management services, certified financial planning, and expertise in retirement planning, including 401k implementation. It's crucial to work with fiduciary advisors, like certified financial planners, who prioritize your financial well-being and provide independent, personalized financial planning advice tailored to your situation.

1. https://ci.security/resources/news/article/8-best-practices-for-working-remotely
2. https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams        
3. https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-how-to-how-to-secure-your-passwords.html