As of late 2024, among online adults using laptops or desktops for remote work, a whopping 53.6% use their own personal devices and 26.8% use laptops or desktops provided by their employer. Thus, personal computers are used roughly twice as frequently as office-provided laptops in remote work scenarios.1 While there are no obvious problems on the surface about using personal computers for office work, many find this convenient and help declutter home office space by keeping tech equipment to a minimum.
The problem that brews underneath the surface is the personal devices’ vulnerability to cybersecurity threats, if not used mindfully. Cybersecurity threats are significantly on the rise due to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). For example, cybercriminals increasingly deploy AI-driven malware that is capable of adapting in real-time, evading traditional antivirus software, and autonomously scanning for vulnerabilities. AI-generated deepfakes and social engineering scripts have become sophisticated enough to convincingly trick employees into revealing sensitive information. 2
However, we can use the following strategies to mitigate these vulnerabilities when using personal devices for office work.
Antivirus Software
Antivirus software helps to keep cybersecurity threats at bay. However, it is not a silver bullet and does not guarantee to protect you from all sorts of attacks, especially due to the advancement of the threat landscape. However, using one is better than using none. Be sure to browse through reputable antivirus software and do some research before you set your heart on one. The last thing you want to do is download malware in the name of antivirus software.
Software updates
Whether it is an operating system update or an update to the software you use (e.g., code editors, VPNs), one must update their software as soon as a new version becomes available. You can even turn on the auto-software updates if you do not want to keep on top of the updates manually.
Installing new software
Be watchful when installing new software on your laptop. Always use a trusted source to download your software and read what others say about the software before you download.
Using a VPN
By hiding your real IP address and replacing it with one from the VPN server, VPNs prevent hackers from identifying your location or targeting your device directly. This helps mitigate risks like remote hacking and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. VPNs also encrypt internet traffic, converting data into unreadable code. This makes it extremely difficult for hackers to intercept or steal sensitive information, especially when using unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.
Sandbox
Sandbox helps you run a software package or open an attachment in a protective environment. It’s ideal for testing, debugging, exploring unknown files, and experimenting with tools. Applications installed within the sandbox remain isolated from the host machine using hypervisor-based virtualisation.3 There are online tools such as VirusTotal4 or Hybrid-Analysis5 , where you can upload an attachment to check whether it is safe to open on your computer.
Brush up your knowledge
It is worth taking up an online course and keeping up to date with threat reports such as ENISA6 to continuously brush up your knowledge about what’s out there. You can even take Google’s Phishing Qizz7 to find out whether you can identify when you are being phished. The better your knowledge about what threat factors to be aware of, the more you become good at mitigating the risk factor.
Use your common sense
Nothing beats a good use of common sense. If your boss drops you a WhatsApp message out of nowhere, asking you to give you a call or share a telephone number or email of another colleague, this sounds too good to be true. Before you take any action, click on a link, reply to an email or message, always pause a moment and check whether this looks all right. When you are replying to an email with multiple recipients, it can be hard to spot whether all the recipients are legitimate or not. Therefore, it is always good to pause a bit and use your common sense.
Wrap up
Using your personal laptop should be equally acceptable as well as using a dedicated office laptop for your remote office work. However, that means you will need to keep on top of safety precautions to ensure your device is secure and fit for purpose. The advantage of using equipment provided by your company is, most likely your device has undergone a standard safety procedure such as encrypting your hard drive to installing necessary software to meet certain safety standards. If you are in doubt, always seek your company’s IT security support. Cybersecurity risks are continuously evolving, and so should your practices, whether you use your personal laptop or your office laptop.
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- https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-sub-section-device-trends ↩︎
- https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-ai-will-transform-cybersecurity-in-2025-and-supercharge-cybercrime/ ↩︎
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-isolation/windows-sandbox/ ↩︎
- https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/upload ↩︎
- https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/ ↩︎
- https://www.enisa.europa.eu/topics/cyber-threats/threat-landscape ↩︎
- https://phishingquiz.withgoogle.com/ ↩︎
