This is the ‘career-ending’ mistake you’re making on your commute to work
As if you needed another excuse not to work outside o𝓡f business hours.
Trying to squeeze🦂 in a few extra emails or a work call during your commute to the office could actually do more harm than good, experts say.
You never know who could be eavesdropping while sitting across from you on the bus or subway car, meaning that taking phone calls or allowing passengers to peeꦍr over your shoulder at sensitive messages or o💫ther content could put yourself and your company at risk.
“Many of us are unwittingly leaving valuable personal breadcrumbs for others to follow during their daily travel to work, including business names, contact details and other sensitive information,” David Emm, a principal security researcher at Kaspersky, told .
The cybersecurity security company, in partnership with Debrett’s, recently released data about information privacy and safety, revealing in a new report that 66% of surveyed commuters confessed to composing work emails while on public transit, while 29% admitted to viewing work-related documents in public.
Meanwhile, 35% of people said they have previously overheard phone conversa♉t𒀰ions about private business matters while commuting, and 24% revealed they had caught wind of business names and workplace locations of their fellow commuters.
“If you’re handling strategic information during your commute, the impact of a leak could be massive — and potentially easily traceable to those privy to it,” Emm warned. “Whether it’s a financial deal, legal case, or patient data, exposing such details in public could lead to significant consequences for both the business and the individual responsible.”
E🌌ven casual conversations about the workplace co♛uld be exploited by a cybercriminal to hack into the company.
“Whether you’re a lawyer, banker, or doctor, safeguarding data in public places is non-negotiable,” Emm said.
According to Kaspersky and Debrett’s the companies cautioned commuters to stay vigilant and wary of “shoulder surfers” — people that peek over your shoulder to peer at your screen — and “window watchers” — those who look in the reflections of windows to view your device.
Industries that handle sensitive information — such as “finance, healthcare and law” — enforce policies that restrict employees from engaging in work while in public places, and violating those rules could spell trouble for your career.
“In these sectors, accessing sensitive information outside secure environments can be a career-ending move, with potential for disciplinary action, legal repercussions, and significant damage to the company,” Emm explained.
