Securing Remote Access: Strategies and Best Practices

With businesses relying on more remote workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring secure remote access has become a top priority. This guide will provide strategies, tools, and best practices for securing remote access, including technologies such as VPNs, zero trust models, SASE, SD-WAN, cloud security, secops, and identity and access management. By following these best practices, businesses can prevent unauthorized access and protect sensitive data.

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented shift in the way businesses operate. As remote working becomes more prevalent, so does the need for secure remote access. With employees accessing corporate networks from various locations and devices, businesses need to take steps to ensure that sensitive data is protected. In this guide, we will outline best practices and strategies for securing remote access for businesses of all sizes.

Securing Remote Access for Business

Remote access brings added convenience for employees to work from anywhere at any time, but it also exposes the network to potential security breaches. To secure remote access, businesses should consider the following:

Utilize virtual private networks (VPNs) – VPNs create a secure connection between an employee’s device and the corporate network, protecting data in transit.
Use multifactor authentication (MFA) – Implementing MFA adds an extra layer of security, requiring users to provide additional proof of identity before accessing the network.
Enforce security policies – Create and enforce policies on the use of remote access, including strong password requirements, regular software updates, and device management.
Limit remote access through firewalls – Restrict access to the network based on the principle of least privilege, limiting access only to those who need it.
Educate employees – Provide training and education sessions to teach employees about security best practices and how to detect and prevent phishing attacks.
Employ identity and access management (IAM) – By organizing access to the network based on an employee’s role or department, access can be granted or denied based on their level of need.

By taking these steps, businesses can secure remote access for their employees and protect against potential security threats. In the next section, we will dive deeper into securing remote desktop access.##Best Practices for Secure Remote Desktop Access

Remote desktop access is a commonly used technology for enabling remote access to a computer or virtual desktop. While convenient, it can pose a significant security risk if not secured properly. To secure remote desktop access, system administrators should consider the following:

Use strong passwords – Encourage users to use complex and unique passwords that are difficult to guess. Consider utilizing a password manager program and enforcing automated password rotation.
Implement two-factor authentication (2FA) – Implementing 2FA provides an additional layer of security to protect against unauthorized access.
Restrict access – Limit the number of users who are allowed to login through remote desktop, and restrict access to only those who need it.
Use firewalls – Firewall rules can limit access based on IP addresses or ports.
Use RDP gateways – RDP gateways provide an extra layer of security by authenticating clients before allowing remote desktop access.
Tunnel remote desktop connections through IPsec or SSH – This provides added security by encrypting the connection between client and server.

By implementing these best practices, businesses can secure remote desktop access without exposing sensitive data to potential security breaches.

Strategies, Tools, and Best Practices for Secure Remote Access

Organizations can implement several technologies and security strategies to secure remote access, such as:

VPNs – VPNs provide a secure connection between an employee’s device and the corporate network, protecting data in transit. VPNs are especially useful for encrypting data as it travels over public Wi-Fi networks. However, VPNs may face scalability issues and might not be nimble enough for modern needs.
Zero trust models – Zero trust security strategy eliminates trust from the security equation, requiring strict identity verification and access policies.
SASE – Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a network security methodology that combines several technologies such as VPN, zero-trust network access, and cloud access security brokers (CASB).
SD-WAN – Software-defined wide-area networks improve security by providing real-time visibility and control over network traffic.
Cloud security – Cloud technologies provide a secure remote work environment that can be managed centrally.
Secops – Secops is a term used to describe security operations and IT operations teams working together to manage security risks.
Identity and access management – IAM systems control access to various network assets based on user context and permissions.

Additional strategies, tools, and best practices for securing remote access include:

Access controls – Access controls limit access to sensitive data based on predefined roles or permissions.
Encryption – Data encryption protects sensitive data in transit or at rest.
Multifactor authentication (MFA) – MFA adds an additional layer of security to access controls.
Role-based access – Restrict access to sensitive data based on job roles or permissions.
Cybersecurity teams – Cybersecurity teams can detect and assess risks to remote access and actively monitor remote access activities to prevent unauthorized access.
Monitoring and managing access activities – Cybersecurity teams or administrators should monitor servers listening on their network for unauthorized access attempts, such as repeated login failures, connection attempts to unused listening port, account lockout policy, among others.

By implementing these strategies and tools, businesses can prevent unauthorized access and mitigate risks for remote workforces.

Best Practices for Securing Remote Access for Small Businesses

Small businesses need to prioritize cybersecurity and secure remote access to protect sensitive data. Some best practices include:

Strong security standards for employees and vendors – Small businesses should require their employees and vendors to follow strong security standards when connecting remotely.
Strong password policy and antivirus program – Businesses should implement a strong password policy across the organization and ensure that antivirus programs are installed and updated regularly.
VPNs and secure connection – Small businesses can use virtual private networks (VPNs) to create a secure connection between an employee’s device and the corporate network. VPNs should be accompanied by additional security measures such as encryption.
Least privilege access policies – Small businesses should employ least privilege access policies to minimize access to sensitive data.
Staff training – Regular staff training should be conducted to educate the employees about secure remote access best practices and how to identify and report potential security threats.

By following these best practices, small businesses can effectively secure their remote access without sacrificing productivity or exposing sensitive data to potential security risks.

Securing Remote Access for Enterprises

Enterprises should focus on implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity program that includes secure remote access solutions. Different remote access methods include VPNs, IPsec VPN, SSL VPN, network access control, and privileged access management (PAM). Best practices for securing remote access for enterprises include:

Single sign-on (SSO) and password management – Using SSO and password management software will minimize the number of credentials that employees need to remember and ensure that they are strong and regularly updated.
Least privilege access policies – Restrict access to sensitive data by limiting access only to those employees who need it.
Granular access controls – Implement granular access controls that define who can access what data.
Monitoring and auditing privileged sessions – Privileged sessions should be regularly monitored and audited to detect potential security breaches.
Employee awareness – Regular training and awareness campaigns can help employees understand the importance of secure remote access.
End-to-end encryption – Encryption should be implemented to protect data in transit and at rest.
Access controls – IAM systems should grant access to sensitive data based on an employee’s context, role, or department.
Two-factor authentication and MFA – Two-factor authentication and MFA should be implemented to provide an additional layer of security.
Cybersecurity policy – A comprehensive cybersecurity policy that encompasses secure remote access should be developed and implemented.
Network access control – Network access control should be implemented to manage who can access the network.
Endpoint protection – Endpoint assets should be monitored and protected to prevent unauthorized access.
Vulnerability assessment tools – Vulnerability assessment tools should be utilized to identify and mitigate potential security risks.
Direct application access – Direct application access should be limited to only those who need it.
Orphaned accounts – Orphaned accounts should be deleted to prevent unauthorized access.
Router password – Router passwords should be changed regularly and only be known to authorized personnel.
Intrusion prevention and detection systems – Intrusion prevention and detection systems should be utilized to manage and mitigate potential security threats.
Router and network border protection – Router and network border protection should be in place to prevent unauthorized access.
Secure remote access software – Secure remote access software products can provide context-based remote access and account for location and security posture of the device, among others.

By implementing these best practices, enterprises can strengthen their security posture and protect sensitive data from potential security breaches.

Conclusion

As remote work becomes more prevalent, secure remote access is crucial to protect sensitive data. By following best practices and implementing security solutions such as VPNs, zero trust models, SASE, SD-WAN, cloud security, secops, and identity and access management, businesses can prevent unauthorized access and mitigate potential security threats. Prioritizing endpoint protection, implementing secure software, and offering staff training can help businesses improve their cybersecurity posture and maintain secure remote access.