February 22, 2021
With the high-scale movement to adopt remote working, pushed in 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic, many companies implemented Virtual Private Network Solutions (VPN), believing that they were completely safe from cyber-attacks. Despite that, VPN is widely used without proper security control and filter, making this tool just an encrypted channel to infection and data breach.
It's fundamental to understand that securing remote working goes beyond using VPN alone. VPN solutions are not designed for multiple simultaneous connections and are up to many vulnerabilities that are fastly multiplying and explored by cyber-criminals.
Each user usually uses more than one endpoint during work time, such as a laptop, smartphone, tablet, or an IoT device (internet of things), – and each of these devices can become an access point to vulnerabilities, compromising your company.
Although this scenario seems complex, there are efficient alternative solutions on the market to provide a safe connection and advanced security for a user outside the company's perimeter.
There are several remote access architecture options, but it's crucial to use proper criteria while choosing not to compromise the company IT environment's safety and data. Check out three solutions better than VPN for secure remote work:
1. Use company provided equipment
Company's devices, such as computers and other endpoints, are certainly safer than personal devices. Usually, these assets have more advanced protection resources, such as endpoint detection and response (EDR), that allow proper management by the security team.
If a user needs remote access, consider replacing your company desktop with a laptop computer to reduce risk and make the connection safer. Other alternatives are sending desktops to the collaborator's home or renting a device, as long as they could have advanced security tools onboard.
2. Using a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure is a technology that allows you to manage the operating system and applications of devices remotely. It is very secure and has a proxy (or gateway) resource to protect sensitive applications and data.
Although it is very effective in reducing access risks compared to VPNs, it is a solution that requires more significant investment. In case investing in a VDI solution is prohibitive, and the VPN solution offers unacceptable or challenging to control risks, the organization should consider tools that provide less risk and are more scalable to extend remote access to remote workers.
3. Implementing a Cloud-Based Remote Access Solution
Cloud-based remote access solutions provide a secure connection to the company's network, with a much less complex architecture and lower investment than VDI. With this tool, the user can connect remotely using the web browser without requiring VPN software, corporate equipment, or protocol tunneling. That allows quick mobilization of the workforce and improving access control to the company's resources by third parties.
Source: HiveCore Enterprise Solutions
It's fundamental to understand that securing remote working goes beyond using VPN alone. VPN solutions are not designed for multiple simultaneous connections and are up to many vulnerabilities that are fastly multiplying and explored by cyber-criminals.
Each user usually uses more than one endpoint during work time, such as a laptop, smartphone, tablet, or an IoT device (internet of things), – and each of these devices can become an access point to vulnerabilities, compromising your company.
Although this scenario seems complex, there are efficient alternative solutions on the market to provide a safe connection and advanced security for a user outside the company's perimeter.
There are several remote access architecture options, but it's crucial to use proper criteria while choosing not to compromise the company IT environment's safety and data. Check out three solutions better than VPN for secure remote work:
1. Use company provided equipment
Company's devices, such as computers and other endpoints, are certainly safer than personal devices. Usually, these assets have more advanced protection resources, such as endpoint detection and response (EDR), that allow proper management by the security team.
If a user needs remote access, consider replacing your company desktop with a laptop computer to reduce risk and make the connection safer. Other alternatives are sending desktops to the collaborator's home or renting a device, as long as they could have advanced security tools onboard.
2. Using a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure is a technology that allows you to manage the operating system and applications of devices remotely. It is very secure and has a proxy (or gateway) resource to protect sensitive applications and data.
Although it is very effective in reducing access risks compared to VPNs, it is a solution that requires more significant investment. In case investing in a VDI solution is prohibitive, and the VPN solution offers unacceptable or challenging to control risks, the organization should consider tools that provide less risk and are more scalable to extend remote access to remote workers.
3. Implementing a Cloud-Based Remote Access Solution
Cloud-based remote access solutions provide a secure connection to the company's network, with a much less complex architecture and lower investment than VDI. With this tool, the user can connect remotely using the web browser without requiring VPN software, corporate equipment, or protocol tunneling. That allows quick mobilization of the workforce and improving access control to the company's resources by third parties.
Source: HiveCore Enterprise Solutions
