Working during the vacations? Yes, but...

Always available

Surveys show that more and more Swiss people can also be reached during their vacations and reply to work emails, text messages or other messages. This may be done from devices that are not connected to the secure company network. A reply to a company email may be exposed to a cyber threat that the user is unaware of. Cisco security expert Bremtane Moudjeb describes how to behave correctly and minimize the risk of cyberattacks.

... but please do it safely

"Cyber threats today are more sophisticated than ever before. Of course, only the most advanced technologies will help with complex attacks, but ordinary users and small businesses can also make their protection more effective by following a few simple rules. This is especially true when we are on vacation because we are out of the office and not using a secure corporate network," says Bremtane Moudjeb. "The IT industry also offers security technologies, such as VPN or Secure Internet Gateway for secure emails and secure access to company data. Communication over a mobile network (e.g. 4G) is a good alternative as it uses encryption. Using a VPN over a mobile network adds an extra layer of security for users. Additionally, there are alternative collaboration tools, such as Webex, that ensure a protected platform for corporate communications regardless of location." 7 tips for secure e-mail trafficDo not trust public WLAN security: One of the risks is that other people's devices that are infected with malicious software are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. The malware can also reach your device via this WLAN and thus spread to your company network. If you need to respond urgently to business emails, use VPN - a virtual private network - or prefer mobile data instead.Use VPN connections or a secure Internet gatewayIf you send business documents from your computer via WLAN or wired network outside your business network, you use a so-called virtual private network (VPN). How does VPN work? Your computer behaves as if it were connecting from your company. If you know you need to work while on vacation, ask your IT manager about VPN connection settings. The current trend in protection for remote connections is the so-called secure Internet gateway, which provides a first line of defense against cyberattacks. Cisco Umbrella, for example, prevents access to dangerous sources before a connection is established or a file is downloaded. Back up your data before you go on vacation: A backup is one of the most important security basics. Make sure that all the data you need to work with during your vacation is stored in your company or back up your data on an external drive that you do not take with you on vacation. Never rely entirely on the security of HTTPS pages: There is a widespread assumption among users that encrypted websites, which are usually marked with "HTTPS" and the lock symbol in the address bar, are completely secure. Although encryption improves user privacy, it is increasingly being used by hackers. "Today, 50 percent of all websites are encrypted. However, detecting a malicious file in encrypted communication is a major challenge. Only a very advanced security solution that uses machine learning or artificial intelligence is capable of doing this. That's why we need to keep a close eye on these websites that people connect to, because they seem very secure at first glance," warns Bremtane Moudjeb.Avoid working on public devices in an Internet café: You should not use devices that are not intended for work. Never send business messages and documents from public computers in an Internet café. You can never be sure that the owner of the Internet café protects their computers with adequate security technology. Only communicate via company accounts: Company guidelines usually state that all business communication must be carried out via company accounts - regardless of whether it is an email or another work tool. However, it may be that there is no access to the company account in urgent cases. Caution should be exercised here when using a private email account that is not integrated into the company's security network. "Email is still the most popular communication platform today and also still the most common way for infected software to enter the device. Collaboration tools that use special encryption and protection are a good alternative to email. I also recommend that colleagues, partners or customers use tools such as Webex Teams," says Bremtane Moudjeb.Do not send confidential data to third parties: This rule applies not only during the vacation period, but in general. Disguised e-mails aim to obtain confidential information, such as bank details or login passwords, in order to misuse it. These are not always easy to identify, so particular caution is required with such emails. Cyber criminals also like to use the vacation period to demand unauthorized payments. They assume that employees are reluctant to disturb their bosses during the vacations and therefore false transfers are made.

Recommendations for companies

Comprehensive protection of corporate communications: The first step for companies that do not want to risk their employees causing an unwanted surprise should be to use a solution that protects all email communication.2.    Security from the cloud: The Secure Internet Gateway monitors the current security situation globally and protects devices that are not connected via VPN. The solution blocks current and future threats and prevents access to dangerous domains, URLs, IPs and files before a connection is established or a file is downloaded. Security solutions for end devices to protect company data: These solutions can track who is logged in, when, from which devices and where, and identify or ward off security threats. The administrator has an overview of what is happening in the company network. The ideal solution is a combination of all these compatible tools. The key to successful protection is a threat intelligence concept and a cloud-based approach that monitors all current threats in the world, sends data to security solutions and then updates and protects them against new malware.