Cybersecurity for Remote Workers
Remote and hybrid working has become standard across the UK — and it has significantly changed the cybersecurity landscape. Home networks are not office networks. Personal devices mix with work systems. The boundaries that office environments maintain automatically have to be consciously rebuilt at home. This guide covers what every UK remote worker needs to do.
The Home Office Security Problem
- Home Wi-Fi networks lack the enterprise-grade firewall protection of office networks
- Mixing personal and work devices increases the chance of malware crossing over
- Video calls and collaboration tools introduce new impersonation and eavesdropping risks
- Physical security is lower — others in the household may access work screens or documents
- Phishing attacks specifically target remote workers, impersonating HR, IT support, and colleagues
1. Secure Your Home Wi-Fi
Your home router is the perimeter of your home office network. Ensure it uses WPA2 or WPA3 encryption and that you have changed the default admin password.
- ✓Change your router admin password from the default
- ✓Set Wi-Fi encryption to WPA2 or WPA3
- ✓Consider putting your work devices on a separate network from household IoT devices
2. Use Your Employer's VPN
If your employer provides a VPN, connect to it before starting work each day. It encrypts your traffic and routes it through your employer's secure network.
- ✓Connect to the employer VPN before accessing any work systems
- ✓Do not disconnect while working — some employers require this
- ✓If you have not been issued a VPN and your role involves sensitive data, raise this with IT
3. Separate Work and Personal Devices
Using a personal laptop for work (or vice versa) blurs security boundaries in both directions. If possible, keep them separate.
- ✓Avoid using personal email or social media on your work device
- ✓Do not install software on your work device without IT approval
- ✓If you only have one device, consider creating a separate user account for work
4. Secure Video Calls
Video conferencing tools introduce risks: meeting links shared publicly, screen sharing that reveals sensitive content, and impersonation of colleagues.
- ✓Use waiting rooms or meeting passwords for any sensitive calls
- ✓Never share meeting links publicly — send directly to attendees
- ✓Be cautious about what is visible behind you on video calls
- ✓Verify unexpected requests from colleagues for access or transfers via a second channel (call, not message)
5. Know Your Incident Response
Know what to do before something goes wrong — not after.
- ✓Save your IT support or security contact details somewhere accessible (not just in email)
- ✓If you notice anything suspicious, report it immediately — even if you are unsure
- ✓Do not try to resolve security incidents yourself before informing IT
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Frequently asked questions
Is working from home a security risk?
Yes, in ways that office environments manage automatically. Home networks lack the enterprise-grade firewalls and monitoring of office networks. Physical security is lower. Personal and work devices are often mixed. Remote work also increases the volume of communication that can be impersonated in phishing attacks.
Do I need a VPN when working from home?
If your employer provides a VPN, use it for all work activity — it creates an encrypted connection back to your employer's network and is part of their security posture. If your employer does not provide one and your home network is secured with WPA2, a personal VPN is optional for home use. It becomes more important when working from public Wi-Fi.
What should I do if I click a suspicious link on my work laptop?
Disconnect from Wi-Fi immediately. Do not click anything else. Contact your employer's IT department or security team straight away — even if you are embarrassed, they would rather know immediately than hours later. Run a security scan if your IT team recommends it. Report what happened honestly.