Protecting Your Online Security While Staying Connected Remotely During COVID-19 Lockdown

Protecting Your Online Security While Staying Connected Remotely During COVID-19 Lockdown
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Protecting Your Online Security While Staying Connected Remotely During COVID-19 Lockdown

Release Date

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

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As social distancing and working from home have become the new normal, more and more people are searching for new ways to stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues.

Now more than ever, there is a demand for video conferencing software to help people of all ages connect with the rest of the world. Recently, questions around privacy and security issues associated with these platforms have highlighted some major issues and concerns users should protect themselves against.

“Keeping connected to our network outside of social distancing is important for our productivity and our mental health,” says Tony Anscombe, Chief Security Evangelist at ESET. “Whether you are hosting a virtual meeting or a trivia night with friends, there are endless apps and software options to help you stay connected. However, it is important to understand how these programs work and how to protect your data from being used in the future.”

With that in mind, MNI Media shares some tips to remember when using video conferencing software as provided by ESET Canada:

Use Passwords
Using passwords or locking “virtual rooms” is important when organizing any meeting or get-together. Services like Zoom allow you to vet meeting participants in the “waiting room,” which provides the organizer control over who can join the meeting.

Limit Screen Sharing to the Host
Limit the ability for screen sharing to the host, or to a person the host selects. This removes the possibility of someone sharing content by mistake.

Don’t share links or meeting IDs on social Media
Save yourself and your meeting from being interrupted by keeping your meeting info private. When you share a meeting link on social media, it becomes public, and anyone can join.

Check the Privacy Policy
Always go the extra steps and check the app or software’s privacy policy before you sign up. The expression, “if it’s free, you’re probably the product” should be enough motivation for you to check whether the company is collecting, selling or sharing your data.

These may seem like simple steps to take, but Candians shouldn’t overlook the privacy and security side of things when using new technology. No matter how slick and feature-rich any software is, it may bring new threats, and with them come added responsibilities.

For more tips about online safety, please visit: www.welivesecurity.com

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