Nine Ways To Boost Endpoint Security For Remote Work

Businesses are increasingly leaning toward making remote operations permanent. As technology develops to support this new remote-working environment, cyber threats are increasingly on the rise. As a result, traditional endpoint security methods are no longer sufficient.

Securing the technology your remote workforce is using can help mitigate risks and protect the organization as a whole. Experts from Forbes Technology Council share nine tech strategies to ensure frontline security.

1. Implement Zero Trust

The move beyond the company perimeter brought by remote working and the increase in data breaches have rendered the concept of trust extinct. That’s why companies must implement zero trust, which is built on the principle of “never trust, always verify.” Alongside protecting the data at the source through encryption, zero trust ensures access to that data is continually verified. - Alex Cresswell, Thales Group

2. Utilize Artificial Intelligence

This is not a straight-line answer. We live in a perimeter-less world. Endpoint security needs to be constantly strengthened, but modern artificial intelligence needs to rethink and look at deterministic security models and embrace stronger authentication and authorization mechanisms. - Rameshwar Balanagu, Avaya

3. Secure Applications

During the pandemic, enterprises rapidly shifted to remote work in cloud applications, supported by BYOD (bring your own device) programs. As priorities change, endpoint protection is trading priority with application security. Monitoring crown jewels primarily within business applications from the inside can detect and mitigate potential threats that can't be prevented using legacy endpoint protection strategies. - Anand Adya, Pathlock Inc

4. Utilize Remote Browser Isolation

Remote browser isolation (RBI) is becoming an essential endpoint security tool. RBI protects users' devices by moving web browsing off endpoints to remote containers in the cloud, air-gapping endpoints from web-based malware and phishing attacks. Whether users independently visit a site or click on a URL embedded in a phishing email, they're safe, since no web content is executed on their devices. - David Canellos, Ericom Software

5. Automate Employee Onboarding

A simple but powerful way to improve security for remote teams is to automate employee onboarding and offboarding. When an employee leaves, a single click can automatically deprovision equipment, software and access privileges, which protects company systems and data. This improves security by eliminating human error, while also freeing up IT, HR and other teams to focus on more strategic work. - Bhaskar Roy, Workato

6. Employ Threat Hunting Software

A lot of endpoint security has traditionally focused on defensive measures like biometrics and multi-factor authentication. While companies need these measures, employing threat hunting software and processes can go a long way in securing endpoints. With threat hunting, if a malicious actor does get in, you'll be alerted and can eliminate the threat as soon as possible. - John Shin, RSI Security

7. Use Extended Detection And Response Platforms

Extended detection and response (XDR) platforms go beyond traditional reactive point solutions. XDR platforms ingest vast amounts of security telemetry data and then leverage ML, AI and analytics to connect the dots to provide visibility into unknown and previously undetected threats. Further, XDR automates responses, reducing the mean time to respond (MTTR) and mitigating risk. - Saryu Nayyar, Gurucul

8. Create A Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

The key to resiliency and operational standardization has always been to implement a virtual desktop infrastructure. This is because of a few very simple reasons: 1) to standardize deployment, 2) to allow application streaming for software assurance and asset inventory, 3) to improve asset inventory, 4) to allow coverage of all necessary software for security, patching, logging and more, and 5) to enable BYOD as well as streamlining the deployment package. - Gene Yoo, Resecurity, Inc.

9. Utilize Tech That Provides End-To-End Encryption

The best endpoint security tech I have tested in a teleworking setting provides end-to-end encryption on all traffic generated from an endpoint device. Unlike a VPN configured with split tunneling, which allows endpoints to access many internet sites without VPN encryption, applications like Zscaler encrypt 100% of all traffic generated by the endpoint. These are game-changers in a post-pandemic world. - Bob Fabien Zinga, Directly, Inc

Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives.

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