“Working from anywhere” can mean working somewhere really nice – the photo above is Lower Longbeak in Cornwall. Coffee, croissant, great view, sea air, email and proof reading a quote for the company on my smartphone. (https://www.clivecatton.co.uk/2020/11/06/photos-from-devon/)
So England is back in lockdown and people are again reluctantly or enthusiastically working from home – but let’s see if we can do it better this time around.
Octagon for many years has embraced “working from anywhere” – we are not new to this game or just jumping on the latest trending bandwagon. Our team know how to do “working from home”, doing it for themselves and have helped numerous clients do it before Covid-19, during Covid-19 and will continue doing so after Covid-19.
I particularly like our “work from anywhere” policy, it means I can have some great toys… Sorry let me rephrase that in case the Accounts Dept (Diana) reads this. I have some excellent and essential equipment to help me work from anywhere. All joking aside it is not the kit that counts – we have clients using inexpensive Chromebooks, Windows tablet/laptops and even a Raspberry Pi – it is the infrastructure, policies and procedures that are important. Look here for my article on “Work from anywhere checklist”.
Just before lockdown I went to Devon to spend quiet time working on some Octagon projects and on my dissertation, here is my set-up on a very small dining room table in the timeshare house.
This kit, including a four gang extension lead, packs into the laptop case in the photo, making it ideal for use at home, if the office has to be packed away when the others you live with come home.
The infrastructure is Office 365 for Business.
What you cannot see here are two vital pieces of software:
ESET anti-virus, anti-malware and internet protection
This is the first positive step for any security and privacy policy.
We have a company license, that includes Android devices, everyone uses it and it provides business standard protection. I am often asked what I think of other products, we do recommend Sophos and the protection that comes with Windows is OK. But Octagon uses ESET which probably says it all.
If you would like to know more about ESET Kamila can put you in contact with Michael who manages ESET for us and our clients.
VPN software
What is a VPN – it is your own verifiable, secure, private connection across the internet.
Whilst at the timeshare I am online using an unsecured, public network – not the best solution – so when I am doing something online that needs to be more secure, I use a VPN. Connecting to a service using https is secure – your traffic is encrypted (secret) from your device, through the internet, to the endpoint. I use a VPN to make private other information that https does not obscure. Using a VPN the internet provider, router at the timeshare or bad player etc can only record the IP address of the VPN I connect to, not the service or server I then subsequently connect to, preserving mine, Octagon’s and our client’s privacy.
Again if you want to know more please contact Kamila and she will put you in contact with one of our tech team.
Further reading
Can you work from anywhere?
Conclusion
When it comes to privacy and security it is always a good idea to be on the side of caution. If you do not know, then ask.
Lockdown meant I had to head home early from Devon, I am writing this from the Octagon Lockdown Bunker (below) – more about that in my next blog.
The Dissertation
If you would like to help me with my project, I am running a survey asking business owners, managers and senior staff about privacy and security. If you would like to take part, please email Kamila for the link. It will only take you about 10 minutes and it would be really helpful to me – thanks (obviously now closed).
Clive Catton MSc (Cyber Security) – by-line and other articles
Photo © Clive Catton www.clivecatton.co.uk
