There are many benefits to being a freelancer. You get to choose your work schedule, create your own pay rates, and work from anywhere. However, if you are not careful, that freedom can come at a price. You will likely be targeted by online criminals, so you have to take the proper precautions to avoid a costly data breach.
Why Freelancers Are at Risk
Hackers love to target small businesses because they realize that smaller organizations may not have the resources to secure their data.
- Social security and credit card numbers can be used to make fraudulent purchases and even take out home loans without the victim realizing it.
Avoid Common Scams
Hackers target freelancers because there are more opportunities to hack into their systems using common scams
- Man-in-the-middle attacks
- A fake network set up by a hacker that appears to be free or matches closely to the legitimate Wi-Fi network at the business.
- However, when you connect, you are really attaching yourself directly to the hacker, and from there, they have easy access to your data.
Protecting Data on a Daily Basis
Implement standard security procedures into your everyday life
- Start with smart passwords
- Consider two-factor authentication on your phone
- Install a virtual private network (VPN) on your computer
- Have antivirus software installed
- Back up all of your data onto an external device
