As of January 2016, 37% of Americans surveyed identified with working remotely based in an annual work and education poll by online supplier of data-driven news Gallup. With so many individuals looking to enjoy the benefits of working from home, it’s important that there is plenty of advice and tips on how to secure your workspace, both physically and virtually to protect valuable and confidential data that might form part of someone’s workload.

Here are a few simple guidelines on how to create a safe and secure remote workspace.

Keep hardware safe

This is the simplest measure you can take for remote security, but it is often the most overlooked. If you take your mobile or laptop to work when you travel, always keep it on your person. Don’t leave hardware in parked cars in full view of potential thieves, and consider installing apps or software to your device or machine that can help you trace it if you leave it somewhere.

Passwords

There’s a reason that you’re prompted to use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and punctuation when creating a password these days; it makes it harder for hackers to crack.? This also applies to using the same password for numerous accounts. It might seem like a pain to have to remember several different words or phrases to gain access to your own documents and data, but in the long run your password is your first line of defence against information theft when working remotely.

Security software

Whether you’re working from a company device or computer or your own personal hardware, security software is a worthwhile investment. Most security software will include firewall and antivirus features amongst others. If you have employees who are using personal hardware to carry out company work, speak to them about what systems they have in place before they start work so you can be assured that they won’t be at risk from hackers or harmful viruses. Make sure your using the latest version of your security software and download any updates.

Working in public spaces

If you’re taking your work out and about with you, try and keep your screen away from view where possible. Be wary of public wifi and try to only use trusted networks as far as you can. If you are working on something very important or sensitive, avoid using public wifi altogether. If you are working on a shared public computer, clear your browsing history completely when you are finished and properly log out of all accounts.