5 Ways to Secure Remote Access Infrastructure for Your Employees

Remote work options vary by company, including those that offer remote access part-time and those that operate from a completely virtual business model. The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly increased the number of companies that required remote work access for employees, and many remote platforms and software providers witnessed a spike in interest.

Remote access isn’t just important for maintaining flexibility in unpredictable times. In fact, it can have serious benefits for organizations, employees, and stakeholders alike. According to Findstack, 85% of managers believe that remote work will be the new normal.

In this post, you’ll discover important insights for building a remote access infrastructure that’s not only convenient but protected and secure.

What is remote access infrastructure?

Remote access is the process of allowing a connection to secure and approved systems when an individual is not physically present in a common workspace.

A suitable remote access infrastructure allows companies to offer mobile working, a convenient option for performing work-related tasks at home or on the go. Because remote work connects people to private and confidential work systems, extra layers of cybersecurity protection are needed.

Why is remote access important for remote employees?

Remote access is essential for employers and employees because it guarantees that the right people have access to the right programs at the right times.

Without a suitable infrastructure, confidential work systems are vulnerable to threat actors and others who could potentially steal valuable information or do harm to an organization.

In some instances, remote access infrastructure may even be crucial for maintaining compliance with a specific regulation or policy.

5 proven methods for securing remote work access

Securing remote work access can be a complex process, but it’s completely possible to protect your corporate data while providing additional work arrangements for employees. In the list that follows, you’ll gain a practical roadmap for developing a stable and strong culture of remote work.

Step 1: Adapt a strong organizational security policy

To truly thrive as a remote work organization, you must develop a secure remote access security policy that everyone at your company acknowledges and understands. The security policy should clearly define:

Remote work expectations and options
An overview of the organization’s security framework and security personnel
Expected and responsible device usage
Threat mitigation and response

A strong security policy also communicates how and where to work, what to do if something happens, and how employees can stay up-to-date on new technology policies.

Benefits of Moving to the Cloud

To mobilize a team of remote employees, you must make sure that everyone is equipped with the right hardware, software, and logins. If your team supplies the computer device, that machine should be updated, and the right software should be installed prior to delivery.

Several enterprise programs may require you to purchase additional logins or licenses before staff members can sign in or access job-related data. To avoid bottlenecks, make sure to arrange for these purchases as early as possible.

Step 3: Collaborate using secure communication channels

Communication is a critical part of remote work. Because employees aren’t usually chatting in person, approved communication or chat software is a top priority.

Make sure that your team members know which voice, messaging, or email services are approved for communication use.

The installation of any non-approved communication software should be prohibited in order to stop security vulnerabilities.

Step 4: Have an effective mobile device sign-in system

With remote work, employees may wish to use their own personal mobile devices to access work-related tasks such as chat, email, or messaging.

While this access is usually approved for many employers, it’s difficult to regulate mobile device access without a policy in place such as mobile device management (MDM). MDM allows employees to work from mobile devices without compromising corporate security.

You can also encourage team members to enable multi-factor authentication using mobile devices in order to verify personal identities.

Step 5: Choose a remote access software with the right level of encryption

When designing a remote access infrastructure or policy, one of the most significant choices you must make is what type of software is best for your workforce.

While remote desktop services could be ideal for some organizations, others may require the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) for even greater security.

VPNs offer robust encryption that helps minimize outside threats to corporate data. As you think about your remote access needs, it’s wise to overestimate the amount of encryption or tunneling that your team may require. This provides a way to grow and scale without encountering further hurdles.

Important reminders

As the global workforce becomes increasingly remote in nature, it’s more important than ever for companies to have reliable virtual policies that are effective and secure. Leaving your remote access policies to chance is not only risky–it’s detrimental.

The team at Northriver IT can help you formulate a remote access infrastructure that works for the way you do business. Our experts can also recommend solutions that align with your specific operations and growth goals.

Let’s create a modern work environment together!

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