10 Steps to Work Securely from Anywhere

  1. Use a strong complex password for your computer (10 Characters or more with upper/lower cases letters and numbers and symbols)
  2. Make sure your computer’s security patches are up to date.
  3. Use Microsoft Windows Device Encryption or Bitlocker Encryption to encrypt your entire hard drive, or if you are on a MAC, enable the system’s FileVault Encryption option. 
  4. Enable your operating system’s built-in firewall. Be sure to select to NOT allow your PC to be discoverable by others, unless you are trying to share files or folders with others on your HOME network.
  5. Install a good Antivirus/Anti-Malware software.
  6. Use a password manager (like LastPass, Dashlane or Bitwarden) and make all your online passwords unique and complex (10 Characters or more with upper/lower cases letters and numbers and symbols, e.g. i^@cMp47gQSfX5X).
  7. Install a VPN to encrypt your connections and to also increase your privacy. Baywell recommends our affiliates: NordVPN or PureVPN.  Both NordVPN and PureVPN are vendors that Baywell uses on our own computer systems.  Full reviews of each product coming soon.
  8. Use a website filtering service (a.k.a. DNS Filters) to block out suspicious or infected websites. (All Baywell Clients have access to DNSFilter.com or OpenDNS.com as part of our Unlimited Managed IT Services)
  9. Backup your files regularly to a cloud service that offers end-to-end encryption.
  10. Log off of your computer when not in use (don’t just close the lid to your laptop) and reboot at least once a week.