How to protect corporate networks in the hybrid work era

The shift towards remote and hybrid work has become a permanent fixture in today's business landscape. However, given the increasingly complex security environment, this new paradigm presents a significant challenge in safeguarding remote devices linked to the corporate network.

A recent survey by IDG found that modernizing networking technologies is one of the top IT goals for this year. As more users continue to work remotely, traditional tools and processes designed for use on corporate networks are becoming less effective when it comes to endpoint protection, forcing IT teams to find innovative solutions to ensure the safety of their users.

Moreover, cybercrime is a growing concern for businesses worldwide, with estimates suggesting that it could cost companies up to $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, a significant increase from $3 trillion in 2015. As a result, organizations must take proactive measures to secure their networks and devices from the threats posed by cybercriminals, particularly in the context of remote and hybrid work.

Creating a robust security culture is critical to protecting remote devices that connect to the corporate network. It is essential to promote best practices for cybersecurity throughout the organization. According to the IDG survey, 36% of respondents believe that risk mitigation through stronger cybersecurity programs is a top priority.

Security is not just the company's but everyone's problem

Security's resilience hinges upon its weakest component. Building a fortified security framework requires an unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of security awareness and knowledge dissemination among the workforce.

Foremost, cultivating a culture of accountability surrounding security measures is imperative; it is not solely the company's concern but rather a collective responsibility. Remote staff cannot be expected to competently execute security protocols if they have not been adequately educated on the organization's security policies.

Truly dedicated organizations should establish an infrastructure to guarantee that remote workers and their devices are equipped to withstand security threats. A distinct branch of internal IT security should be established to scrutinize, safeguard, and even infiltrate employees' home offices, much akin to measures taken within a conventional office setting. Employers should view their staff members' home workspaces and mobile technologies as offshoot offices, a less expensive alternative to leasing physical workspaces and cubicles.

A security-oriented culture should be paralleled with creating a conducive work environment that facilitates productivity enhancement and work-life balance through flexible remote and hybrid work technologies. As employees develop trust in the IT department, they become more receptive to learning and enhancing their security awareness, such as securing home networks, safeguarding data, and adhering to IT's recommendations regarding device protection.

Device security

Once an organization has secured employee buy-in, it must implement measures to protect its devices. To this end, organizations should allocate resources towards a suite of security tools, such as asset management, endpoint detection, data loss prevention, cloud-based managed detection and response, and patch or vulnerability management. Among these, asset management is a fundamental prerequisite, as organizations must be able to track the devices accessing corporate data and apply appropriate controls to them. These controls may encompass endpoint protection or data loss prevention measures, especially if the unauthorized dissemination of confidential corporate data may result in regulatory infractions.

By implementing this strategy, an organization can effectively equip its IT team to shield the corporate network against various threats. Securing at-home devices requires a robust and comprehensive mobile device management (MDM) solution, augmented by corresponding processes. An MDM streamlines various functions, including automated operating system updates, security patches, virus scanning, application updates, and device security configuration, such as activating a lock screen.

It is vital to restrict work-at-home devices from other users in the household. Naturally, one would not want children to play games or browse the internet on the same PC utilized for work purposes. One way to ensure this is to furnish workers with a corporate-managed PC exclusively designated for their use.

Quality endpoint security practices

Establishing quality endpoint security practices is crucial to protecting the corporate network. During the pandemic, cybercriminals have targeted remote workers who may be unaware of potential threats. Since every device on a home network can be a potential entry point for criminal activity, employees must have a secure VPN between their home network and the corporate office. To ensure remote devices are protected, applying best practices in corporate 'endpoint' security practices to every device connected to the home network is important.

Organizations can adopt a strategic approach to mitigate these risks and prioritize high-risk accounts and devices. It is recommended to begin with what the employer can control and prioritize efforts around high-risk endpoints. In particular, privileged accounts or accounts with elevated access should be managed within privileged access management (PAM). Companies that proactively address endpoint security issues will avoid significant headaches in the future.

Effective endpoint security is critical for reinforcing the vulnerabilities presented by human behavior on the corporate network. A single erroneous click can lead to a devastating ransom or breach despite the technological protections. While basic precautions such as frequent password changes and short computer lock periods are essential, additional security measures such as a face or fingerprint recognition can provide added protection.

However, endpoint security alone cannot sufficiently safeguard an organization's corporate network. To properly secure the home office as an extension of the network, advanced precautions and endpoint detection are necessary. This provides IT with the visibility needed to protect all endpoints on the network.

Strong partnerships with third-party providers are becoming increasingly necessary to address infrastructure, operational, and cultural challenges fully. According to a recent IDG survey, 87% of respondents will rely on these providers for support. With the right approach to endpoint security and strategic partnerships, organizations can effectively address the vulnerabilities associated with human behavior and protect their corporate networks from malicious activity.

Endpoint protection solutions that rely on on-premises technology are limited in their ability to protect against modern threats effectively. This is particularly true for organizations with a large remote workforce, where on-premises solutions require extensive configuration and maintenance to support these devices. In contrast, cloud-based solutions offer the advantage of accessing and managing devices from any location with minimal infrastructure requirements.

Furthermore, cloud-based solutions enable the implementation of more advanced security measures, such as extended detection and response (XDR) services that leverage artificial intelligence to automate threat detection and response. Integrating AI-driven automation is typically more difficult to achieve with on-premises solutions, which often lack the necessary infrastructure to support these capabilities.

In conclusion, organizations seeking robust endpoint protection should consider cloud-based solutions which offer greater flexibility, scalability, and advanced capabilities, such as XDR services.