Georg Beyschlag, President Americas at TeamViewer.
I believe the battle of remote, in-person and hybrid workplaces has seen a clear winner: hybrid work. In fact, returning to the office full time is decreasing while hybrid work is becoming more popular. The number of people working “in the office full time dropped to 42% in the second quarter of 2023, down from 49% in the first quarter.” Many companies are reevaluating their office attendance requirements and reverting to hybrid policies.
With hybrid work in the mainstream, the importance of remote support has never been greater. Organizations in almost every industry use remote access and collaboration tools to bridge the hybrid gap and support new ways of working, efficiency and scalability. These tools enable businesses to grow and scale their operations by giving greater flexibility in where employees can work.
Along with these benefits, however, an increased digital footprint brings new challenges for IT and security teams trying to protect company infrastructure and clients from cyber threats. Given that these remote connectivity tools can be targeted by bad actors—from ransomware cybercriminals to nation-state adversaries—to try and gain access to sensitive data, a more sophisticated cybersecurity ecosystem and better employee training are required to safely implement these technologies and take advantage of the benefits.
The Growing Popularity Of Remote Collaboration Tools
In today’s hybrid work environment, employees have the freedom to work wherever they want. As a result, remote management and monitoring (RMM) tools have become essential for enterprises to effectively manage their IT infrastructure from a distance. IT teams can access and manage devices from anywhere in the world. This has proven especially useful for businesses with multiple office locations or remote work environments. By remotely accessing and monitoring devices and networks, it reduces the need for in-person visits. In return, this leads to faster response times and more efficient troubleshooting to minimize downtime. Additionally, this helps lower business operational costs by automating tasks and saving time and travel expenses.
Business leaders are already recognizing the benefits that remote collaboration tools can bring. According to Statista researchers, the remote collaboration software market is expected to grow to over $16 billion by 2028. Yet, although RMM tools have become essential to businesses, they also serve as a prime target for cybercriminals to exploit. An increasing number of bad actors use RMM software to gain remote access and control over systems. If not properly secured, unauthorized access to these tools can lead to major security breaches. This is why it’s crucial for business leaders to ensure their infrastructure is secure while utilizing these tools.
A Clear Cyber Defense Plan
Earlier this year, two federal civilian agencies were attacked by cybercriminals via RMM software as part of a refund scam campaign. This nation-state ransomware attack was a wake-up call for regulators. As these tools became more widely used, there was a clear need for a modern cybersecurity strategy. In response, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) published its Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) Cyber Defense Plan, which provides a clear road map for advancing the security and resilience of the RMM ecosystem.
There are two pillars that are essential to the new plan. The first, “Operational Collaboration,” is meant to encourage cyber threat and vulnerability information sharing and support innovative cybersecurity strategies. Vendors are encouraged to increase transparency on potential security risks and identify ways security solutions can be improved. The second pillar, “Cyber Defense Guidance,” is to educate users on the security risks that RMM devices pose to critical infrastructure. Overall, the plan is meant to strengthen collaboration between the government and private sector to improve the nation’s critical infrastructure security. By improving awareness and promoting best practices, RMM users can be better educated on the risks associated with the software and take proactive steps to mitigate them.
Best Practices To Boost Remote Access Security
Data security officers should first evaluate their organization’s current security landscape. By identifying the scope of devices, networks, applications and data, they can gain a better understanding of what needs to be monitored and protected. It’s important to identify clear procedures for how your company responds to different types of remote monitoring security incidents and document internal policies for how to properly communicate with customers and stakeholders in the event of a security breach.
Second, businesses should implement security measures to help prevent or reduce the impact of future breaches. Examples include authentication, firewall, backup, password management and encryption controls. Employees should be well-educated on the different tools and resources available to the company, as well as common security risks to avoid.
Lastly, IT teams should continuously monitor and analyze data derived from the remote collaboration software. This can come in the form of alerts, reports or dashboards within the platform. A secure and reliable remote connectivity tool should provide updates on recent activity so users can collect data and monitor for any suspicious events. Security teams should also ensure that the RMM tool is compliant with the latest regulations by performing regular audits and assessments of security posture to identify gaps or vulnerabilities.
Looking Ahead
RMM tools have changed the way businesses operate in a post-pandemic world. Business leaders should look for a secure and reliable solution as they consider transitioning their organizations to hybrid work environments. A secure infrastructure could mean the difference between an unsuccessful cyberattack and a significant nation-state data breach.
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