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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1234839
of shady VPNs reselling user data. So make sure that you only use a VPN that you trust (here it might be best to avoid freebies). One affordable, privacy-focused VPN that we like to recommend is Guardian Firewall + VPN for iOS. Of course, if your company has you working from home and is mandating a VPN, you'll have to follow their guidance about which service to use — and in many cases, the VPN will be offered directly by the company itself. Building a Secure Home Office For people working from home for the very first time, the adjustment can be a bit of a shock, and there are lots of new things to think about. One major consideration is cybersecurity — especially if your manager has asked you to use your personal device to work from home. This raises a very basic question: With no IT department in your house, how do you make sure your home setup is as secure as what you're used to at the office? Rather than attempting to provide an exhaustive list of security precautions, we're going to take a triage approach and tell you four things you can do right now to make working from home as safe as possible. 1 - Update everything Update all OSes and apps with the latest security patches. This applies to your computer and mobile devices, of course, but also to any firmware or software for your router. If you have an antivirus program installed on your computer, take a moment to update its malware definitions and run a system scan. 2 - Back it up You're working from home, but your home is not a place of business: It may contain pets, roommates, small children, and other agents of entropy! This means that backing up your work should be a top priority: That way, if the toddler decides to delete mommy's Q2 sales projections, she won't have to cancel her afternoon Zoom meeting. Use native backup solutions like Time Machine or a reputable third-party backup tool in order to protect your important data. 3 - Make a "to delete" list Working from home will likely entail using new software. And beyond figuring out how to share your screen or mute your mic in a virtual meeting, there are also security issues to be aware of. Some of the large remote work apps have had security issues in the past, meaning that they may not be things that you want on your machine long-term. So make a note of the apps your company is asking you to install on your devices, and remember to delete them when they're no longer needed — which hopefully won't be too much longer.