The Covid-19 pandemic has completely pivoted the traditional workplace towards remote work. According to multiple studies by leading industry analysts, remote work is here to stay for the long haul.
However, this extensive and prolonged trend of remote work has also exposed corporate networks and data to a host of cyber threats. Forrester has estimated that the total number of full-time employees that are working remotely after the pandemic will rise by 300%.
It also comes as little surprise that according to Gartner, nearly half of the employees that are currently working remotely will continue to do so, even after the pandemic. This presents a huge “opportunity” for the cyber miscreants out there.
Given the current scenario, ransomware attacks are constantly on the rise and the most commonly used threat vector. According to estimates by cyber security firm Cybersecurity Ventures, one business will fall prey to such an attack every 11 seconds in 2021.
This presents a further escalation of the threats posed by ransomware. During the year 2019, it was estimated that one business was exposed to a ransomware attack every 14 seconds. This single stat is enough to highlight the gravity of the situation.
So, what is the most effective solution out there that not only supports remote work, but also ensures security of sensitive corporate data? Well, the answer lies in a unified solution for endpoint management and security.
In the present circumstances, most threat actors are successfully exploiting vulnerabilities at the endpoint device tier of organizations. This is where the slightest lapse in security can give a hacker un-hindered access to the corporate network in the worst case scenario.
Despite the extensive use of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives by organizations, even employee personal devices that are being used as endpoints to access organizational assets, resources and data will have to be brought into the fold of your security solution.
Cyber security is emerging as one of the biggest threats to the present remote work scenario. It is only via concerted and highly coordinated efforts, coupled with the right endpoint security tools that you can ensure a secure remote work environment.
