Working From Home — and Homing From Work — Poses Unique Cybersecurity Challenges

Since 2020, working from home has become commonplace. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost every company had to switch their traditionally in-office employees to some version of hybrid or remote work. Indeed, working from home became the new “normal” almost overnight.

We all have a variety of collective experiences and observations during this time of no longer commuting to work, sitting in a cubicle, or chatting with coworkers at the water cooler. Here are a few observations about remote work:

• • “I love rolling out of bed and trying to decide to stay in my PJs or put on sweatpants (yoga pants)!”

• • “Pets need to learn Zoom etiquette! Whether they are pawing at the keyboard, knocking the mouse, or sleeping on the floor behind us, our four-legged friends often took center stage during video calls.”

• • “Always make sure of your camera angles, especially if you don’t have any pants on, or are still in your pajamas.”

• • “I waste so much of my workday commuting from my bed to the refrigerator, to my home office, and back to the refrigerator.”

• • “I figured out I could better budget and blend my time between personal and professional tasks. I could do laundry, cook, go to the gym, run errands, and make more convenient doctor’s appointments with time shifting and freedom as the workday never really ends when your office and home are located in the same place.”

• • “I found I hated being away from my coworkers, but after returning to the office for a bit I decided I didn’t miss the office much after all! Working from home kept me more productive and focused without the “office drama” as a distraction.”

On a serious note, remote or hybrid work does offer several challenges for cybersecurity that perhaps we never realized. For both the employee and the employer, cybersecurity has never been more critical — especially now that we’re connecting to our corporate networks from more locations and on more devices than ever before. For example, a cybercriminal now has even more ways (attack vectors) to prey upon employees or organizations. Data breaches, ransomware, and other cyberattacks have never been more sophisticated, pervasive, or ubiquitous, according to security experts.

In fact, according to a recent Wall Street Journal article: “The number of reported data breaches in the U.S. rose to a record 3,205 in 2023, up 78% from 2022 and 72% from the previous high-water mark in 2021, according to the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center. Trends are similar in other parts of the world.”

“A cybercriminal now has even more ways (attack vectors) to prey upon employees or organizations. Data breaches, ransomware, and other cyberattacks have never been more sophisticated, pervasive, or ubiquitous.”

Here are some cybersecurity risks associated with the work-from-home/anywhere movement.

1. 1. Expanded attack surfaces – With more employees working remotely, the attack surface in organizations has never been larger. More endpoint devices and networking connections greatly increase the workload for security staff.
   2. Limited or little oversight of how remote workers handle data – Despite tools preventing the download of sensitive information to local devices, the reduced oversight outside the office heightens the chances of unintentional or malicious exposure of corporate data.
   3. Challenges in complying with data regulations – Organizations might find regulatory compliance more challenging in work-from-anywhere environments. Remote workers can access and transport data in ways that violate the growing list of data privacy and protection laws.
   4. Increased susceptibility to phishing and other social engineering attacks – Social engineering and phishing attacks are a threat to all workers, whether they are in the office or working remotely. However, such attacks tend to be more successful when aimed at remote workers. Research has found that people working from home can be more distracted and more likely to click on suspicious links. A new trend is attackers using AI to automate social engineering attacks. Remote workers, especially ones who don’t regularly meet in person with others, might have an even harder time distinguishing such attacks from legitimate communications.
   5. Unsecured and vulnerable hardware and networks – The combination of increased remote work and longstanding BYOD policies means many people use personal devices to do their jobs, regardless of whether they have the skills to adequately secure them.

As these challenges indicate, hybrid and remote work pose demonstrable and unique cybersecurity risks. Individuals and organizations need to be vigilant when securing remote environments. Security essentials like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), secure communication tools, and endpoint security are popular ways to improve security, but is that enough?

Of course, they are all important, but implementing a true multi-layered approach to cybersecurity is always best. If one area fails, there are additional layers to keep your data secure. Additionally, an effective multi-layered strategy should include zero trust security principles. Zero trust assumes that everything can be a threat, thus “never trust, always verify” is at its core. Implementing a zero trust strategy can significantly enhance the security of a remote or hybrid workforce by assuming that threats can exist both inside and outside the network.

Here are four simple ways a zero trust strategy can be integrated into a multi-layered cybersecurity strategy for a hybrid or remote workforce:

1. 1. Strong Access Controls and Authentication – Instead of a one-time authentication process, zero trust always validates user identity and access permissions while logged on to the network. Adding “Least Privilege Access” enforces the principle of least privilege, granting users the minimum level of access necessary to perform their tasks. This minimizes potential damage from compromised accounts.
   2. Enhanced Endpoint Security – Using enhanced endpoint security ensures that only trusted, compliant devices can access corporate resources. Devices must meet specific security standards and be continuously monitored for compliance.
   3. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and Managed Detection and Response (MDR) – Both EDR and MDR monitor endpoints for suspicious activities and respond to threats. MDR usually also includes managed “outsourced” monitoring to better detect and respond to security threats in real-time. This service would include advanced technology and skilled security analysts whose expertise is often in short supply and hard to retain if done “in-house.”
   4. 3. Secure Communication Channels – All communications should be encrypted end-to-end, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality even over unsecured networks.
   5. Regular Security Training and Awareness Programs – Training employees on an ongoing basis is critical to recognizing and reporting suspicious activities and should never be discounted or ignored.
   6. 5. Zero Trust Architecture – Employing zero trust architecture (ZTA) means focusing on securing data and ensuring that sensitive information is protected, regardless of where it is accessed or where it resides. Zero trust enforces security policies consistently across all devices and locations.

ZTA provides a comprehensive framework that supports identity and access management which ensures consistent application of zero trust principles across all users and devices. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions can aggregate and analyze security data, supporting continuous monitoring and threat detection.

So, while you might find working from anywhere to be a huge perk (and it is), it is also important that you understand the cybersecurity risks it poses to your company or organization. I often miss the days of a four-digit login. I often complain about the effort that is required, especially when I am in a hurry, to log into my corporate network, or even to access my device. However, this is a small price to pay to safeguard both my personal and corporate data, which, for years, has been the lifeblood of any organization.

Nobody wants to be the next security breach headline! Better awareness of cyber risks and security practices go a long way in securing both your data and your organization’s data.  When organizations integrate additional security measures along with zero trust principles, they can create a robust, adaptive security environment. Doing so better protects their remote and hybrid workforce from continual cyber threats — even when their dog decides to jump up on their lap in the middle of a video call!

For more information on managed security tools check out the data sheet links below.

• Managed Security
• Managed SIEM
• Managed EDR
• Managed Detection and Response