Best practices for remote desktop access

Best practices for remote desktop access

Remote desktop access is an essential in these days when businesses are expected to be responsive to their clients almost 24/7. Moreover, there has been a surge in the remote desktop access practice with coronavirus pandemic. But, did you know that remote desktop access, while almost indispensable now, can threaten your network security? In this post, we discuss a few best practices that you should engage in for safe remote desktop access.

Have your basics in place

Make sure your security basics are covered. Your systems should be secured with the latest Firewalls, anti-malware software and up-to-date with all security patches and software upgrades. Another item on this list is passwords. Make sure you are following good password hygiene such as no password sharing, setting secure passwords, not repeating passwords, etc.,

Train your employees

Train your employees who will be accessing your network via remote desktop connections to identify cybersecurity threats and steer clear from them. Educate them to identify phishing links, clone sites, dubious attachments, etc.,

Use multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication adds a layer to security and is especially important in case of remote desktop authorization. Multi-factor authentication works by confirming the identity of the user across 3 areas--what they know, what they have and who they are. User IDs, passwords, secret questions, date of birth, etc., fall in the first category (What they know), while One-Time-Passwords (OTPs) sent to their smartphone, a physical token or an access card belong to the second category (What they have) and the third category (Who they are) includes biometric authentication such as retina scan, fingerprint or voice recognition.

Be careful: remote access isn't about data security. 

There may be a bit of misunderstanding about remote access. The point of it is to allow you, your MSP, or other trusted support to gain access to your PC for any number of reasons. Collaborative work, perhaps or even to help walk you through a tech issue you aren't able to handle. It also allows one to access your office PC remotely. Access data on your office PC while you are in a hotel 1000 plus miles away. These are all conveniences which can enable working offsite. However, to over simplify, remote desktop access is primarily about information access to a particular device. The cloud can offer some similar features, but storing data and access in the cloud can offer, aside from anything else, significant data protection. In short, understand that remote desktop can be valuable—some of the value overlaps with sharing features that arrive with cloud--but don't assume that remote desktop is a tool to protect your data against a security breach.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

So, what, exactly, is Malware?

Image
So, what, exactly, is Malware? Listen to the news? Read the internet? You know cyber crime is a very big business. Hackers and criminals are out there doing all sorts of nefarious things. Most generally, you hear that malware is some kind of virus that attacks your software programs, infects your hardware, and bungles up your network. But there are many different types of malware, just as there are many types of criminals–each with their own MO and bad intentions. In this e-guide, we will run through some of the major categories of malware, and then suggest 7 different ways you can work to protect your business from malware. Malware defined - Malware is a generic term that covers all manner of software that is designed to attack your devices, applications, programs, and networks. It is software that has bad intentions. Malicious + Software= Malware. Hackers and criminals create malware for an array of reasons. Some may create it just to attack massive amounts of machines just to show t...
Read more

Infection protection: Nine steps to start protecting your company today

Image
Infection protection: Nine steps to start protecting your company today Malware is a generic term that covers all manner of software that is designed to attack your devices, applications, programs, and networks. It is software that has bad intentions. Yes, stealing. Either by directly pulling money out of accounts, or improperly acquiring data that ultimately provides access to funds. Example: Stealing your SSN and setting up a credit card to use that info, or convincing you to provide the password to your checking account. Others will snatch your organization's data and hold it for ransom. As usual, it is all about money. What can you do? Nine steps to avoid malware 1) Don’t go it alone - As a small- to medium-sized business, you have limited resources, all of which need to be focussed on running the business and planning for the future. That makes it difficult to direct an IT operation that has the depth to address all of the security issues you face. For example, a business owne...
Read more

Thing to do this week to start protecting your customer data

Image
Thing to do this week to start protecting your customer data You have client or customer data in your possession. It is part of running your business in a digital marketplace. If that data is breached, it could permanently damage your reputation. We talked in an earlier blog about types of malware. There are many steps that you can take to protect your systems and data. Here are a few suggestions to protect your business from malware. Consider a Managed Service Provider - Cybercriminals are very sophisticated and every day are releasing new, cutting-edge tools to attack businesses and individuals. Small- and medium-sized businesses do not have the resources to staff an IT department sufficiently to be aware of all the newest tools and technologies needed to protect a business. For example, a business owner cannot possibly keep up with the changes and details of tax laws. Doing it themselves, they would likely overlook important tax advantages or inadvertently break some IRS rule. As ...
Read more