Remote and Hybrid Workplace Cybersecurity - Ardian Technologies

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working was largely attributed to digital nomads and freelancers. Among the upper management it was less about hands-on work but more about tools to monitor business performance and manage operations remotely. But 2020 was a watershed moment for offices worldwide. Overnight, countless offices were left dormant as part of national emergency measures and millions were confined to their homes due to shelter-in-place orders.

In spite of the chaos and confusion, companies had to rapidly adapt to the changing landscape. Even though the workforce could no longer be in the office, their tasks had to be addressed. Obviously, organizations which are more global or intertwined in the supply chain, higher was the need for them to have their staff return to working. Getting the workforce their devices was the relatively easy part, but to transfer the office infrastructure including cybersecurity tools across a geographically dispersed - not just domestically but globally - workforce was the new battlefront for most CIOs and IT teams.

A Fly on the Wall

With the transition from offices to anywhere, organizations need to review their in-office cybersecurity measures to apply to the new normal of remote teams. From secured apps & softwares, cloud services, encrypted browsing, use of virtual private networks (VPNs), and no bring your own device (BYOD) policies, etc. among others, organizations had to establish and deploy these processes during the lockdown to keep their business moving. Even though the transition to remote working was abrupt for many, IT teams should strive towards making these security initiatives non-invasive for the workforce.

Highlighted below are prominent measures how organizations can keep their remote workforce secure, while maintaining individual privacy and freedom to be remote:

Curtail BYOD

By now, organizations should have distinct policies refraining the workforce from conducting critical and sensitive business tasks on their personal devices. Non-company devices with lack of or unlicensed softwares can lead to backdoor access resulting in the loss of IP, strategic plans and financial losses. As the lines between office and home blur, there should also be policies separating business and personal data, including not permitting the use of non-business emails to address business tasks, saving personal files on company cloud storage, and such.

Deploy VPN

IT teams can create office-like secured network infrastructure for its remote workforce by installing virtual private networks. This can resolve bandwidth and performance issues, limit access to company’s private servers hosting vital files, and allow remote troubleshooting and catering of service requests.

Encrypted Cloud Solutions

Working on the cloud was already gaining popularity pre-pandemic, but the remote working environment has only made it all the more essential. Companies such as Microsoft, Google, Salesforce, Adobe, etc. have doubled-down on cloud apps in recent years, which have enabled the workforce to maintain file versions, recovery-assist, switch devices & resume work effectively, and then some more. Further, with numerous cross-software integrations (e.g. Salesforce integration with various sales & marketing tools) have streamlined operations, which would otherwise be manually handled across multiple softwares & teams.

Ransomware & Spyware Softwares

Among the biggest threats of the remote workforce is the risks associated with operating through unsecured public networks and devices. Ensuring that the workforce is compliant while also closing gaps that can cause leakage is essential from the IT standpoint. While VPN can bring a degree of secured network, an up to date solution to monitor ransomware and backdoor attacks digitally or via the use of unauthorized devices such as external hard disks, pen-drives, can go a long way in securing the organization’s interests.

Multiple-Factor Authorization

It is de-facto to cross-authorize approved users to login across financial, defense, national security industries, etc. Rather than relying on a single password, which could potentially be identified by keyword strokes or cyber attacks, organizations need to create another layer of authorization for its workforce. Organizations can enable multiple-factor authorization (MFA) via secured devices, emails or mobile number.

Solutions for Remote and Hybrid Workplace Cybersecurity

Understanding the complexity and customization required for companies with dispersed employees, Ardian Technologies offers Ardian Stack; a democratized data platform offering organizations the piece of mind data that is secure and compliant. With a customizable platform and easy-to-use interface, Ardian Stack is an end-to-end solution for companies looking for out-of-the-box cybersecurity solutions.