Working Remotely as a Consultant? 9 Cyber Risks You Can't Afford to Ignore

Working remotely as a consultant brings great flexibility, whether your expertise is marketing, accounting, HR, or real estate. But working from your home or favorite coffee shop also exposes your consulting business to cybersecurity threats that can harm your reputation and finances.

Below are nine key cyber risks consultants face, along with practical tips to keep you protected.

Key takeaways

• Remote consultants can be targeted through phishing, malware, stolen credentials, insecure networks and compromised business apps.
• Client data can also be exposed through lost devices, overshared files or collaborators with unnecessary access.
• Strong, unique passwords and MFA can make it much harder for attackers to take over business accounts.
• Keep devices and software updated, protect them with security software and maintain backups of important business data.
• When working away from home, pay particular attention to network security, physical device security and who can see or access sensitive information.

9 cybersecurity risks remote consultants should know

Working remotely can expose your business, devices and client data to risks you might not face in a traditional office. Here are nine to watch for and what you can do about them.

1. Using unsecured or public Wi-Fi

Working from a coffee shop, hotel or coworking space is convenient, but you don't control how those networks are set up or who else is using them. While HTTPS protects much of today's web traffic, an untrusted network can still expose you to risks, including fake Wi-Fi networks set up to look legitimate.

What to do:

Avoid connecting to networks you don't recognize or trust. If you're handling sensitive client information or logging into important business accounts, consider using your phone's hotspot or a trusted VPN. Turn off automatic Wi-Fi connections so your device doesn't join available networks without you noticing.

2. Weak, reused or stolen passwords

Consultants typically rely on dozens of accounts: email, cloud storage, banking, invoicing, social media and client platforms, to name a few. If you reuse passwords, one compromised account can put others at risk too.

Your email account deserves particular attention. Someone who gets into it may be able to reset passwords for other services and take over more of your business accounts.

What to do:

Use a password manager to create and store a unique password for every account. Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA), especially for your email, financial accounts, cloud storage and other services containing sensitive business or client information.

Related: What Is Business Identity Theft and How to Protect Your Business

3. Phishing, scams and fake client messages

Consultants communicate with clients, prospects, suppliers and other people they may not know well, which gives scammers plenty of opportunities to blend in.

A phishing email might look like a Microsoft login alert, an overdue invoice or a message from a client asking you to review a document. Scammers can also impersonate someone you work with and ask you to change payment details, send sensitive information or log into a fake website.

What to do:

Be cautious when a message asks you to click a link, open an attachment, enter login details, send money or share sensitive information. Pay particular attention to unexpected urgency or changes in payment instructions.

If a request seems unusual, verify it with the person through a communication channel you already trust rather than using the contact details provided in the suspicious message.

Related: How Scammers Trick You into Compromising Your Own Security—and How to Stop Them

4. Accidental exposure of sensitive client data

Depending on your work, you may have access to contracts, financial documents, customer information, employee records or confidential business plans.

But client information doesn't have to be stolen in a sophisticated cyberattack to be exposed. You could send a file to the wrong person, leave an old sharing link active, give someone more access than they need or accidentally share confidential information during a call.

What to do:

Use reputable cloud storage services and check who can access sensitive files and folders. Avoid leaving confidential documents accessible through unrestricted public links, and remove access when someone no longer needs it.

Keep backups of important business data, and take an extra moment to check recipients and attachments before sending sensitive information.

Related: Small Business Reputation Attacks – Why They Spike in Q1 and How to Stay Safe

5. Malware and ransomware

A malicious attachment, fake software update, compromised website or convincing phishing message can lead to malware on your work device. Ransomware can encrypt files and disrupt your business, while other types of malware may steal passwords, financial information or other sensitive data.

For an independent consultant, losing access to one laptop can be enough to bring work to a halt.

What to do:

Use reputable security software and keep your operating system, browser and other applications updated. Be careful about unexpected downloads and attachments, even when they appear to come from someone you know.

Keep backups of important business files so that losing a device or being hit by ransomware doesn't mean losing your only copy.

Related: Responding to a Cyberattack - What to Do When You Get Hacked: A Small Business Guide

6. Lost or stolen work devices

Consultants carry their work with them. A stolen laptop or phone may contain client documents, saved logins, email conversations and access to cloud services.

The device itself can be replaced. The information and accounts accessible through it may be much harder to deal with.

What to do:

Protect your devices with a strong password, PIN or biometric authentication and enable device encryption where available. Set up device-location and remote-wipe features before you need them.

Avoid leaving laptops or phones unattended in public places, and make sure important files are backed up somewhere other than the device itself.

Related: Protect Your Business and Data if Your Phone Is Lost or Stolen

7. Security and privacy risks in online meetings

Video calls are part of everyday consulting work, but they can expose more information than you intend.

A publicly shared meeting link could allow unwanted participants to join. Screen sharing can reveal emails, notifications, browser tabs or client information. Recordings and transcripts can also contain sensitive conversations long after the meeting ends.

What to do:

Don't post private meeting links publicly. Use waiting rooms, passcodes or other access controls when appropriate, and check who's in the meeting before discussing confidential information.

Before sharing your screen, close anything participants don't need to see and turn off distracting or sensitive notifications. If you record meetings, know where those recordings are stored and who can access them.

8. Compromised business and cloud accounts

Your consulting business probably depends on a collection of online services: email, accounting software, cloud storage, project-management tools, messaging platforms and video conferencing.

If someone takes over one of those accounts, they may gain access to client information or use your identity to target clients and colleagues. Connected apps can increase the impact if one compromised account provides access to other services.

What to do:

Enable MFA wherever it's available, prioritizing your most important accounts. Regularly review connected apps, account permissions and active sessions, and remove anything you no longer use.

Pay attention to security alerts about unfamiliar logins or password changes. If a service you use reports a breach, find out what information was affected and whether you need to change credentials or take other action.

Related: How to Check If Your Business Is Affected by a Breach (And What to Do if It Is)

9. Freelancers and collaborators with access to your data

You may run your consulting business alone but still work with a virtual assistant, accountant, designer, subcontractor or another freelancer.

Giving someone access to your files and business accounts may be necessary to get the job done. The problem comes when they receive more access than they need—or keep it long after the work has finished.

What to do:

Give collaborators access only to the accounts, folders and information they need for their work. Whenever possible, create individual accounts rather than sharing your own password.

Keep track of who has access to what, and remove permissions promptly when a project or working relationship ends.

Your Easy Cybersecurity Checklist:

• Use a trusted VPN whenever you're on public Wi-Fi.
• Set up a password manager to handle strong, unique passwords.
• Double-check emails carefully for phishing attempts.
• Store client data securely and encrypted.
• Protect your devices with antivirus software.
• Enable tracking and remote-wipe functions for your devices.
• Always secure your video meetings.
• Regularly monitor your digital identity for breaches.
• Invest in cybersecurity specifically designed for small businesses.

Protect your consulting business wherever you work

When you're an independent consultant, there may be no IT department watching over your laptop, accounts and client data. That makes cybersecurity another part of running your business—whether you're working from home, visiting a client or opening your laptop in a coffee shop.

Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security helps protect your business devices, accounts and online activity against malware, ransomware, phishing, scams and other online threats. It also includes tools that can help you spot suspicious messages and links and monitor for exposed information.

Try Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security free for 30 days. No credit card required.

FAQs

What are the biggest cybersecurity risks for remote consultants?

Common risks include phishing and impersonation scams, stolen passwords, malware and ransomware, compromised business accounts, lost devices, insecure networks and accidental exposure of client information. Consultants also need to manage the security risks created when freelancers or subcontractors have access to business systems or files.

Is public Wi-Fi safe for consultants?

Public Wi-Fi isn't automatically unsafe, but you should be cautious when using networks you don't control. Avoid unknown or suspicious networks, make sure websites use HTTPS, keep your device's firewall and security software enabled, and consider using a trusted VPN when accessing sensitive business information.

How should consultants protect sensitive client data?

Limit access to client information to people who actually need it, use reputable cloud services, secure important accounts with strong unique passwords and MFA, regularly review sharing permissions and keep backups of important files. Sensitive data should also be protected on laptops and other devices in case they're lost or stolen.

Do freelance consultants need cybersecurity software?

Yes. Even a one-person consulting business can hold valuable client information, financial records, email accounts and login credentials. Security software can help protect devices against malware, ransomware, malicious websites, phishing and other threats, but it should be combined with MFA, secure passwords, backups and good security practices.

What should I do if my consulting business is hacked?

Start by securing affected accounts and devices, changing compromised credentials and contacting your bank or payment provider if financial information may be involved. Determine what information or systems were affected, preserve relevant records and notify clients, partners, insurers or authorities when appropriate. Your exact legal or regulatory obligations will depend on what data was exposed and where you and your clients operate.