No longer just a matter of convenience, hybrid and remote working models have become the preferred choice for many businesses and their employees. Adapting your IT solutions to support these flexible working models is now a necessity from a business standpoint and a vital component in maintaining a resilient IT infrastructure.
Crucial to this, has been the widespread adoption of cloud computing. In the last decade, we have seen a huge amount of organisations adopt the cloud as a major element of digital transformations, with a staggering 94% of businesses having some, if not all of their applications hosted on cloud solutions. However, distributed cloud infrastructure introduces more attack vectors for criminals to exploit, with an alarming 80% of companies having experienced at least one cloud security incident in the last year.
Alongside this challenge, the rise in Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies and the Internet of Things (IoTs) has increased the number of endpoints across an organisation’s wider network, resulting in a rapidly growing cyber-attack surface.
The growing threat
Hybrid working promotes greater flexibility, giving workers a seamless transition between office spaces and remote locations while enabling them to work in public settings like coffee shops. This mobility is great for flexible working, but poses an increased risk to network security, as these networks are publicly accessible, and threat actors using a relatively simple tools can access unsecured passwords and logins on these shared Wi-Fi networks.
Despite this ease of access for threat actors, businesses still rely on short-term fixes or deploy disparate point security solutions, many point solutions are poorly implemented and managed with assumptions regarding the capability or control of other solutions in the stack. The assumption that it’s another systems job creates vulnerabilities and so leaving a security estate where the sum of the whole may well be less than the sum of the parts. Today, no device on the network is immune to potential compromise. Any device can be hacked, even the photocopier, and once threat actors gain access, every device on the network is vulnerable. If it has an IP address, it represents a potential entry point for cyber threats. Once criminals gain a foothold within an organisation’s network, mitigating the associated risks becomes difficult, especially for those still relying on outdated security solutions to protect their continually evolving tech stacks.
Leaving behind outdated solutions
Too many organisations continue to rely on outdated solutions to address today’s threats. Software Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN), originally designed for on-site working, and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are used as a stopgap to facilitate secure remote working. However, these solutions are inadequate due to their inability to provide visibility within the network and continually monitor for threats.
This requires a revaluation of security policies. Solutions ill-suited for this environment that operate in silos pose an increasing risk to network security. Traditional solutions like VPNs and SD-WAN do not monitor for threats once an initial user authentication has been made, a critical oversight when persistent threat detection is key.
Covering all attack vectors
In today’s threat landscape, adopting modern Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions is a vital step in fortifying data security from endpoints to the cloud. Furthermore, a holistic approach to deploying network security stacks is becoming increasingly vital, as this minimises the reliance on disparate tools. This not only reduces the number of potential layers of vulnerability but also streamlines IT operations. The result? A single-stack solution that can embrace a zero-trust architecture, which, makes no assumptions on security or user privilege. This provides greater visibility across all potential attack vectors, continuously monitoring beyond the initial authentication phase where traditional approaches fall short.
Facilitating a cyber-safe future of work
Organisations don’t need to let an expanding attack surface discourage them from utilising hybrid and remote working models. These flexible arrangements provide businesses with a host of benefits that far outweigh the risks. Aside from obvious financial and productivity gains, it fosters a satisfied workforce, promoting loyalty, engagement and retention. By accommodating individual preferences, organisations can attract and retain top talent from a broader pool and protect themselves from the ongoing IT and cybersecurity skills shortages.
The key lies in deploying solutions as a single network and security stack underpinned by zero trust architecture. This provides the visibility needed to prevent data breaches while enabling effective monitoring and rapid response capabilities should threats materialise.
By harnessing the power of cloud-native security solutions and fostering a culture of cyber vigilance, businesses can navigate the evolving threat landscape with confidence, capitalising on the benefits of hybrid and remote work while strengthening long-term resilience for a cyber-safe future of work.
About the Author
Jonathan Wright is director of products and operations at GCX, where he is committed to innovation and client-centric solutions. He previously held sales and leadership positions in telecom and managed IT services. He graduated with a bachelor of law degree from the University of Manchester.
