WFH/WFA Workplace Create New Cybersecurity Threats: Are You Prepared?

The switch to remote work left managers dealing with several cybersecurity threats stemming from unsecured home devices and networks, as well as unprotected internet traffic.

When the majority of employees work from a single location, there is only a need to protect the main network - which is less demanding than protecting as many endpoints as there are employees

The elements that build for security and privacy that may normally be available in a controlled corporate physical environment setting with defined physical barriers are routinely obliterated in WFA environments.

And the risks associated with WFH are amplified when the move is made to WFA. This is because it includes not only our home base but also frequently working on the road at customer locations, airports, coffee shops, and just about anywhere with wired or wireless connections.

Working from anywhere usually means using unencrypted public Wi-Fi, which can lead to information being intercepted, malware being distributed. There is an array of ways in which hackers exploit unsecured public networks, and businesses have to adapt their cybersecurity strategies accordingly.

Adapting to working from home was a challenge to cybersecurity personnel everywhere, but the growing trend of working from anywhere entails a new set of threats to consider.

Since every remote employee is a potential threat to the integrity of a given company's data, businesses are shifting their cybersecurity strategies away from the castle-and-moat approach.

In the Zero Trust framework, the given network is protected by granting users and devices access to only those parts of the network that are essential to their task. In such a system, every user is authenticated before being allowed to access the needed data through an encrypted tunnel. Because of this, even if a device gets compromised, it can't cause network-wide damage.

1. A comprehensive security framework of this kind allows remote employees to safely connect to the company network without putting the whole network at risk.
2. Web browsing becomes considerably safer, allowing cybersecurity personnel to ensure employee browsing habits are not potentially harmful to the company.
3. Due to the automated nature of Zero Trust-based systems, managers gain more time to educate their personnel on best cybersecurity practices