When compared to a full-time employment, working as a freelance designer can provide you the freedom to set your own hours and earn more money. But, that isn’t the only issue to consider when running your company.
Internet security may not be top of mind for you, but you should think about the dangers that could arise. It’s vital to take action to prevent them from happening once you’ve identified them.
We’ll go over seven security and privacy suggestions in this article that can keep graphic designers secure online. This guidance can also be used to safeguard your clients from potential dangers.
1. Use Password Keychains
One of the first methods of online security is the use of passwords, but how secure they are is dependent on a variety of variables. You could find it quicker to sign into your accounts if you create something simple to guess, but doing so exposes you to hacking and other harmful activity. Yet, coming up with secure passwords and trying to remember them can be tiresome.
ICloud keychain is immensely helpful if you possess an Apple device. For each website where you create an account, you can ask Apple to develop a secure password. After creating it, you can sign in to your account using Touch or Face ID. The password can also be used on other devices you own.
2. Be Careful When Receiving Messages
For many independent contractors, having clients come to you is the ideal situation. And if you persist, you’ll probably come to a point when that begins to happen. Individuals will contact you via LinkedIn and email, and the majority of them will have good intentions.
Yet not everyone is looking out for your best interests. Regrettably, there are con artists operating in the freelance industry, and you can come across someone looking to exploit you.
Verify the source of any message before responding. If you discover messages on someone’s LinkedIn profile, check it out. You should also study the companies. Consider it a warning sign if someone wants to get paid before you’ve agreed to anything or if they give you phony workload guarantees.
3. Try to Avoid Using Public Wi-Fi Where Possible
Despite being practical, public Wi-Fi can be quite dangerous. Many times, open networks are simply that—open to other users. Sending private information puts you at risk of those particulars getting into the wrong hands.
Naturally, not all open WiFi networks pose a threat. Ideally, a password will be required for you to use it. When using public WiFi, try to keep private information to yourself. That brings up our following point.
4. Don’t Share Sensitive Information Where Others Can See It
Working with clients may require you to divulge sensitive information. For instance, you might get information that is embargoed. Similar to how they might set up an account on their systems when you first start working for them, they will usually need to create a password for that.
The issue is more with making sure that others cannot see sensitive information than it is with sharing it. It’s not a good idea to discuss things in public on social media, and if you need to have a call with them at a coworking space, you should reserve a conference room.
It makes sense to use encrypted collaboration platforms to share sensitive and vital information.
5. Lock Your Screen When Away From Your Computer in Public Spaces
Freelancing can be isolating, so you might prefer to work somewhere you can interact with others. If you reside in a large city, you frequently have access to a wide variety of coworking spaces. Similar to this, you can discover a quaint café close to your home that sparks innovation.
Working with others offers several benefits for your health and might improve your networking chances. Therefore, when using your computer in public, use caution and use due vigilance.
You should lock your screen when you’re away from it. If you leave an important document open, information might fall into the hands of someone that shouldn’t have access to it.
6. Stick to Trusted Programs
You’ll need to consider the tools that will enable you to operate more successfully as a freelance designer. It’s crucial to make sure that the software you use can keep your private information secure, even though you will need to experiment to find out which ones work best for you.
New technologies occasionally run into security-related issues. Moreover, if you are headquartered in the EU, you should make sure that the software conforms with GDPR.
Although more seasoned applications may experience data breaches, they are frequently quite dependable. While keeping an open mind, do your homework and find out what other users of the tools you use have to say about them.
7. Make Your Clients Sign a Contract When Starting a Project
It feels nice to land new clients as a freelancer designer, especially in the beginning. Therefore it makes sense to be eager to dive in and get to work on the job they require your assistance with. Yet, there are still a few preparations that must be made.
As a freelance designer, you should make sure that your clients have signed a contract before beginning any project. Provide the number of revisions you’ll permit, the cost, and any other details you feel are necessary. You might also be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) by your client; you should do this as soon as you can.
You can start working on the project as soon as both you and your client are satisfied with the terms you’ve agreed to. And you should abandon your efforts to collaborate with the other party if they decline to sign one.
Protect Yourself and Thrive as a Designer
It’s simple to overlook everything that isn’t directly related to designing when starting out as a freelancer designer. But if you do that, you might be setting yourself up for a number of problems in the future, including various potential security risks.
When you’re not at your computer, be sure your accounts have secure passwords and don’t rely on others. Also, you should confirm that your clients have signed a contract before starting a new job.
Source: makeuseof.com
________________________
About Skyhigh.Vip Â
Skyhigh.Vip is a global institutional investor with a vast interest in Arts / Construction / Education / Business Services / E-Sports and various other growth industries. Â
Several of its popular portfolios include GO Chambers which is the world’s largest business chamber listing provider with over 30,000 active chambers as its members. Â
Flexgigzz is the Asia leading marketplace for freelancers service and together with SOHO Learning Hub which is an online platform for short courses and both of them aims to be the number one provider in Asia. For growth industries such as E-Sport Authority which is dedicated to providing independent media coverage to all E-Sport News related from around the world and for the art world, there is Atelier Auction which is an investable art auctioneer and being in the art scene for decades.
