Final answer:
To reduce the security risk of using a Wi-Fi hotspot at a coffee shop to access corporate email, an employee can take several actions: use a VPN, avoid accessing sensitive information, and keep devices and applications updated.
Step-by-step explanation:
When using a Wi-Fi hotspot at a coffee shop to access corporate email, there are several actions an employee can take to reduce the security risk:
- Use a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt the communications between the employee's device and the corporate email server. This ensures that even if someone intercepts the data being transmitted over the Wi-Fi network, they won't be able to read or tamper with it.
- Avoid accessing sensitive or confidential information while connected to the hotspot. Limit the use of the Wi-Fi connection to tasks that don't involve sharing or accessing sensitive data. If there's a need to access sensitive information, it's better to wait until the employee is connected to a secure network.
- Keep the device and all applications up to date with the latest security patches. This helps protect against known vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.
By following these precautions, the employee can significantly reduce the security risk of using a Wi-Fi hotspot.