Securing Remote Infrastructure and Mobile Technology
Cybersecurity risks skyrocketed when COVID-19 forced workers to transition to home offices and children to remote learning environments. By March 2019, coronavirus-themed campaigns and attacks were well underway. These attacks began so quickly at the beginning of the outbreak that the World Health Organization released a statement warning of imposters using the organization’s name.
Today, organizations have had roughly a year to adapt to changes caused by COVID-19. By now, businesses should be transitioning from their initial emergency response measures to a permanent long-term strategy for incorporating remote workers. A successful plan for accommodating remote and mobile workers should include:
- Maintaining employee productivity and user experience from any locationo
- Keeping both employee and organizational data secure at all timeso
- Maintaining regulatory compliance while enacting BYOD policies and allowing employees to work from remote locations
The steps seem simple, but each device, software app, and location added to the infrastructure exponentially increases its complexity. An estimated ten-fold increase in work from home employees also represents an increase of routers, smartphones, mobile devices, and personal PCs handling company data. This puts companies in the difficult position of no longer having to worry about the security of one network, but thousands.
VPNs felt an enormous strain as some vendors reported usage increases of 165% in a month. Increased VPN usage from remote workers introduces new security risks, as all protected data is funnelled to a single location, the provider’s company. Incorrectly configured and/or vulnerable VPNs can expose remote employees who believe themselves secure to potential cyber-attacks.
Vulnerabilities specific to VPN and remote communications were not the only new cybersecurity risks facing companies. Many home-based employees use personal or BYOD technology to assist with their job responsibilities. Ensuring employee’s personal devices are updated and secure is a Herculean task. Confirming that the software and third-party apps on personal devices are also secure and up to date is an exercise in futility.
Dan Patefield
Dan Patefield
Dan leads the techUK Cyber Security programme, having originally joined techUK in August 2017 as a Programme Manager working across the Cyber and Defence programmes. He is responsible for managing techUK's work across the cyber security eco-system, bringing industry together with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors. Dan also provides the industry secretariat for the Cyber Growth Partnership, the industry and Governmnet conduit for supporting growth across the sector. A key focus of his work is to strengthen the public-private partnership across cyber security to support further development of UK cyber security policy.
Before joining techUK he worked as Forum Lead for the Westminster eForum. In this role he had a focus on the technology and telecoms space, on issues ranging from Broadband and Mobile Infrastructure, the Internet of Things, Cyber Security, Data and diversity in tech. Dan has a BA in History from the University of Liverpool.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2165
Jill Broom
Jill Broom
Jill is techUK’s Programme Manager for Cyber Security, working across the cyber eco-system to bring industry together with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors.
Prior to focusing in on techUK's cyber security work, Jill was also part of techUK's Central Government programme team, representing the supplier community of technology products and services to Whitehall departments.
Before joining techUK, Jill worked as a Senior Caseworker for an MP, advocating for local communities, businesses and individuals, so she is particularly committed to techUK’s vision of harnessing the power of technology to improve people’s lives. Jill is also an experienced editorial professional and has delivered copyediting and writing services for public-body and SME clients as well as publishers.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Twitter:
- @honeybroom
- Website:
- www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-broom-19aa824
Annie Collings
Annie Collings
Annie joined techUK as the Programme Manager for Cyber Security and Central Government in September 2023.
Prior to joining techUK, Annie worked as an Account Manager at PLMR Healthcomms, a specialist healthcare agency providing public affairs support to a wide range of medical technology clients. Annie also spent time as an Intern in an MPs constituency office and as an Intern at the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed.
Annie graduated from Nottingham Trent University, where she was an active member of the lacrosse society.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Twitter:
- anniecollings24
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-collings-270150158/