In recent years, remote work has gained traction with job seekers who have a new set of demands for their employers. When the pandemic hit, remote work wasn’t just a perk for a select few – it became the only option for many employees. A Gallup poll reveals that, as of April 2021, 72% of white-collar workers were still working remotely. This puts a new focus on improving remote-work security because there are many risks associated with connecting to company networks from the outside.

With cyber criminals out in full force and so many different risks present in a variety of formats, network managers are tasked with taking a new and deeper look at their approach to security solutions, especially remote-work security tools that can protect valuable data. And this is not a temporary issue for most organizations – it appears that remote work is here to stay.

Integrating Smarter

Network managers who became comfortable with the tools they need to protect company data are now scrambling to integrate security tools that will work with their current infrastructure. To add to the fray, they also have to consider the infrastructure and processes being used by remote workers who are often taking on their daily tasks from a home office. A popular approach, and one that happens to be quite effective, is to implement remote-work monitoring solutions that will integrate with their software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) solution. Also of use are monitoring tools that integrate with secure access service edge (SASE) solutions.

Compliance Issues

Prior to the pandemic, security for home-office environments was certainly around, but with so few full-time remote workers, there wasn’t exactly a rush to these platforms, and compliance issues weren’t a great concern. But with so many employees now working remotely, tools that can provide cyber security insights on home offices are crucial.

While the on-premise security strategy might be robust, well thought out, and carefully monitored, the same level of attention must be placed on the home-office environment, and that’s what adopting the right remote-work security monitoring tools can provide. The problem is that there are a variety of them on the market, and knowing exactly which one will integrate with current infrastructure can be a major hurdle for security teams already at their wit’s end. Partnering with the right agent can significantly reduce the chance of adopting the wrong solutions.

At Independent Connections, we assist our clients in getting the right technology and the best deal. Rather than trying to figure out which salesperson you can trust, we take that part of the process out of the equation, as we have a deep knowledge of all the security tools on the market that will fit your needs. Our clients never have to worry about getting roped into a contract with a provider that, as it turns out later, doesn’t have exactly what you need to properly secure your network. We’ll help you make the right choice that keeps your remote workers and your data safe and secure. Contact us and learn more about what we can do for you.