More likely than not, you understand the importance of keeping your organization’s network and your employees’ computers safe and secure. But it is of equal importance to keep other devices in mind when it comes to cybersecurity. Devices like smart phones and tablets, work-related or for personal use, need to be included in your cybersecurity plan. Keep reading for safety measures to put in place for smart devices.  Many of these tips can be utilized in your own home as well as in the office.

Never keep passwords set to default.

Smart devices and various software tools often come with a default password. These passwords are well-known and easy to guess by a cyber attacker. Implement a policy within your organization that default passwords must be updated immediately.

Choose unique passwords and consider using a password manager.

When updating passwords across devices, which should be done on a regular basis, make sure the passwords are unique. Some general rules of thumb include never including personal information in the password, anything to do with the organization you work for, or common words and phrases. Always include multiple numbers and symbols in passwords. A password manager can be a great tool in ensuring your password and the passwords of your employees are as protected as possible from cyberattacks. Concensus offers several different password management solutions.  Contact us to determine the correct fit for your organization.

Use a secure wireless network vs. an open one.

Now more than ever, many employees in the workforce are working remotely. Without being in the office on your organization’s secure network, the chances of being connected to an open, public wi-fi network are increased. Encourage employees to only connect to secure hotspots that require a password. Better yet, provide the hotspot to them. It is also important to always disconnect devices from public wi-fi after using it. Generally speaking, private information should never be viewed in a public space.

Isolate smart devices across different wireless networks.

Many devices need access to the Internet, but that doesn’t mean they need to interact with any other devices connected to a router. Cybersecurity is better when devices cannot see or interact with any other devices connect to the same router. This is called network isolation or segmentation. Devices can be isolated by using a VLAN (Virtual LAN). A VLAN is a essentially a network within a network. Individual smart devices can be assigned to a VLAN by your network administrator.

Keep smart devices patched.

You know those reminders your devices are always giving you to update your software? They’re actually pretty crucial for cybersecurity, whether it seems inconvenient at the time or not. One essential thing these updates provide is security patches. A security patch is a small adjustment to the code of the software you’re using. It can fix bugs and also address vulnerabilities in the software that cybercriminals can pry on. Remind your employees to take software updates seriously across all devices and to never hit “skip,” as tempting as it can be.

At Concensus, our team of experienced IT experts remain vigilant and current to the activities of today’s cybercriminal. For more tips on how to smart devices safe, reach out.