The security strategies for remote workforce
Remote and hybrid workforces require a revamp in the overall security strategies
Though the threat of Covid may have subsided, the idea of remote working is here to stay. Employees have been reported to have success with remote work environments, and productivity levels are generally higher. Unfortunately, the rise in remote work has also led to an increase in cybercrimes. Rob Rattray writes on CRN about the changes that need to be done in security strategies to fit in the remote and hybrid workspace.
This is what he has written:
A recent survey conducted by Capterra has shown that 38% of employees are just as productive at home, with 44% saying they are even more effective than they are in the office. But the remote workforce also raises new security challenges.
Despite the positives of cloud –– more secure, more flexible, and more cost-effective in the long run, 75 percent of IT professionals agree that it has a darker side as well when it comes to security.
Implementing cloud-first and hybrid-cloud strategies is a way to strengthen security in a remote workforce.
It is critical to have a good edge security posture and to be vigilant with maintaining that security.
Security-focused features such as malware prevention, data encryption by default, two-factor authentication, and VPN access should be implemented.
Though BYOD policies are popular in the workplace, due to the relative cost savings, compromised employee devices can cost you heavily in the long run if security is not implemented correctly.
The fundamentals of IT security in a remote work environment are cloud-first architecture, managed networks, secure device usage backed by access management techniques, and enterprise-grade security systems.
Educating your team on new protocols, systems, and security implications is the essential tool in your Cybersecurity arsenal. You'll need to update your current security training materials to reflect a remote-first strategy.
What We Think
CIOs must find the right balance between giving employees enough freedom to choose the tools they work with and ensuring that what is being purchased doesn’t affect their security. Therefore, they must research and invest in tools that allow them to find this sweet spot, something that can discover and manage the software ecosystem irrespective of who has purchased the software and what device it’s being used on.
You can read the full article here.