As companies adapt to what has become, for many, a permanently hybrid work environment, it is shaping the direction of digital transformation and how IT investments are prioritized. One of the biggest challenges for IT security teams is balancing the need for quality, consistent work experiences across any location with security concerns related to a highly distributed team.
Productivity Requirements
Many of the IT investments made during the initial wave of stay-at-home requirements were related to keeping employees connected as they worked from home. Organizations took a “learn as we go” approach, experiencing some trial and error before settling on a platform, or platforms, that satisfied productivity goals. Connectivity is vastly important, but so is security.
Cyber criminals put a target on companies that were seemingly unaware of the risks they were taking in implementing new technologies. These organizations paid a price as their systems were hacked. It quickly became apparent that adopting IT solutions for enhanced security was necessary.
Hybrid work environments simply accelerated a trend that was already in motion: the erosion of the network perimeter. While traditional network security could simply put gatekeepers in place, the adoption of cloud technology and now the dispersion of the workforce demands a different approach to network security.
Zero-Trust Security
IT security teams are finding that a zero-trust security approach to network security offers a way to address challenges inherent to a network environment that no longer has a clear perimeter. A zero-trust approach works by assuming that every device and user is not trustworthy until proven otherwise. It combines tools and features like multi-factor authentication, role-based access privileges, plus Next Generation Firewall and Secure Web Gateway, among other protections.
Zero-trust network access is not a specific solution or even a standard set of policies. It is a mindset that is adopted by the IT security team in order to improve security while protecting performance standards.The problem is that when not properly implemented, zero-trust strategies can stymy productivity. However, working with a trusted agent to implement the right tools and policies can help to get around some of these productivity roadblocks without compromising security.
When employees are accessing sensitive data from outside the traditional in-office scenario, taking every safety precaution is required, which is what zero trust offers. Data breaches are costly and they can completely sink a company, so the return on investment makes this approach a complete winner.
Reimagining Infrastructure
Most organizations have settled into the new normal, which is a hybrid work approach. They’ve had to reimagine the IT infrastructure and some have been more successful than others. They no longer think in terms of completely on-premises or completely cloud-based infrastructure. The IT investments are made in both and the juggling act can be exceedingly difficult without professional assistance.
At ITBroker.com, helping companies navigate the complexities of new and modern infrastructure is what we do. Going into an IT investment can be intimidating because there is so much from which to choose. Move forward with confidence by partnering with ITBroker.com. We work with you to assess and understand your business and can provide support that will give you the competitive advantage.
