remote access security vulnerabilities

Five Remote Access Security Risks And How To Protect Against Them

1. Weak remote access policies. Once attackers get access to a virtual private network (VPN), they can often penetrate...
2. A deluge of new devices to protect. Global “stay at home” policies have forced many organizations to purchase and...
3. Lack of visibility into remote user activity. With the sudden...

Full Answer

What are the disadvantages of remote access client devices?

Remote Access Vulnerabilities Remote access client devices generally have weaker protection than standard client devices Many devices not managed by the enterprise No enterprise firewalls, antivirus, etc. Lack of physical security controls Remote access client devices may be used in hostile environments but not configured for them

Are there security gaps in the remote workplace?

As the world adjusted to working from home, IT teams worked overtime to enable remote access for millions of employees. This transition went smoothly for most organizations, but many security gaps still remain almost a year later.

Why is remote workforce security so important?

With a remote workforce, this problem becomes exacerbated by employees using personal devices and networks with much lower standards of security than their corporate-controlled alternatives, making it easy for attackers to access company data.

How to secure the remote work environment?

The key to securing the remote work environment is to extend these zero-trust assumptions further. It isn't just the network that should be assumed hostile, but everything that is not under the enterprise's control. Interestingly, this may extend even to the endpoints that are used to access enterprise resources.

What are the 4 main types of security vulnerability?

Security Vulnerability TypesNetwork Vulnerabilities. These are issues with a network's hardware or software that expose it to possible intrusion by an outside party. ... Operating System Vulnerabilities. ... Human Vulnerabilities. ... Process Vulnerabilities.

Is remote access security secure?

Yes. A robust cloud-based, highly secure remote access solution can provide unified protection for virtually all users against web-based threats — independent of a VPN connection.

What are the security risks of remote working?

Top Security Risks of Remote WorkingGDPR and remote working. Remote work means an employer has less control and visibility over employees' data security. ... Phishing Emails. ... Weak Passwords. ... Unsecured Home Devices. ... Unencrypted File Sharing. ... Open Home WiFi Networks.

What are the most important vulnerabilities in RDP?

Perhaps the top vulnerability of RDP systems, weak user sign-in credentials are an easy way for attackers to gain access to your network to deploy malicious software that steals or damages your sensitive data. Most desktop computers are protected by a password – but users can make this password whatever they want.

What will be the issue in remote access?

Let's look at some of the top challenges faced by users of remote access: Connection quality. If the user has a poor internet connection or a weak Wi-Fi signal, both of which are common at hotels or public hotspots for example, then the remote desktop connection will also be slow.

What are the examples of security considerations for remote users?

Five Remote Access Security Risks And How To Protect Against ThemWeak remote access policies. ... A deluge of new devices to protect. ... Lack of visibility into remote user activity. ... Users mixing home and business passwords. ... Opportunistic phishing attempts.

What is the greatest risk that remote access poses to an organization?

The overriding risk of remote access services and software is a hacker gaining deeper access to your organization, exposing you to a host of IT security threats. Once they gain privileged access to your system, it will be difficult to prevent data loss, prevent phishing, protect against ransomware, etc.

How do you protect and secure data while working remotely?

How to promote data security while working remotelyConnect to a hotspot or use a VPN. ... Use strong passwords and a password manager. ... Keep work and personal separate. ... Stay alert for phishing or other attacks. ... Participate in routine cybersecurity training.

How can I securely work remotely?

Here are a few security best practices your remote employees should follow.Run software updates regularly. ... Secure video meetings. ... Watch out for email phishing. ... Create strong passwords. ... Never leave your bag, briefcase or laptop unattended. ... Use caution with wireless networks. ... Keep your work separate.

How insecure is RDP?

RDP itself is not a secure setup and therefore requires additional security measures to keep workstations and servers protected. Without proper security protocols in place, organizations face several potential risks, including the increased risk of cyberattacks.

Can RDP be hacked?

RDP has become a common way for hackers to steal valuable information from devices and networks. It is specifically vulnerable because of its ubiquity. Since so many businesses use it, the odds accessing an improperly secured network are higher and hackers have a better chance of breaking through.

How is RDP exploited?

RDP automatically connects to the service that was created first, so when a new user connects, the existing malicious pipe will be the one their machine automatically connects to. At that point, the attacker controls both ends of the pipe and can read, pass and modify data between the client and host.

Is Google remote access secure?

Is Chrome Remote Desktop secure? While there is always some inherent risk involved with remote desktop software, Chrome Remote Desktop is secure and safe. All remote sessions are AES encrypted over a secure SSL connection, which means your data is protected while you remotely access your computer.

Which is a secure remote access protocol?

POINT-TO-POINT TUNNELING PROTOCOL (PPTP) It's used to establish virtual connections across the internet via PPP and TCP/IP, enabling two networks to use the internet as their WAN link while retaining the security benefits of a private network. PPTP is a great option because it's simple and secure.

What is secure remote access VPN?

A remote access virtual private network (VPN) enables users who are working remotely to securely access and use applications and data that reside in the corporate data center and headquarters, encrypting all traffic the users send and receive.

How do I create a secure remote access?

7 Best Practices For Securing Remote Access for EmployeesDevelop a Cybersecurity Policy For Remote Workers. ... Choose a Remote Access Software. ... Use Encryption. ... Implement a Password Management Software. ... Apply Two-factor Authentication. ... Employ the Principle of Least Privilege. ... Create Employee Cybersecurity Training.

How many employees did hackers give out login details?

In one notable attack, staff members accidentally gave out login details for five employees. The end result: the exposure of sensitive data for 80 million customers. Ironically, hackers used the media attention to send more rounds of phishing emails.

Why do we need VPN?

VPNs are employed by a wide range of organizations to help bridge the gap between centralized networks and remote workers, allowing users to securely access business networks in an encrypted channel. However, consumer-grade VPN services can still be vulnerable to savvy hackers.

What are opportunistic hackers?

Opportunistic hackers typically aim for well-known vulnerabilities. They’re particularly interested in known exploits for older, out of-date-devices. An organization which allows remote workers to use outdated personal devices puts their critical business information at great risk to cyber criminals.

What are flash vulnerabilities?

These vulnerabilities include personal mobile devices that are used for business communications. According to a Duo report, approximately 60 percent of enterprise devices were found to be running on older, vulnerable versions of flash. These exploits allow hackers to download software that assesses a device’s flash version and installs malware, should the right version (s) be identified. From there, attackers have full access to each infected machine.

Why are unprotected remote organizations more susceptible to email scams?

Unprotected remote organizations are more susceptible due to the increased complexity of the network environment because many organizations still don’t use multi-factor authentication. In total, Americans lose $3.1 billion to email scams each year.

Can hackers hack remote workers?

Without the proper protections on personal devices, remote workers can face greater threats from phishing attacks. Cyber criminals don’t care if personnel are working from home or in the office. Either way, they can trick workers into giving up login credentials—or completing a financial transaction—by posing as a message from a reputable company.

Is remote work the future?

Remote employment is clearly the future of work. It’s especially apparent now given the organizational challenges of working during COVID-19, but there’s no doubt that demand will only grow in the foreseeable future. All that’s needed to keep hackers at bay is a diligent focus on training, and device and network security.

Why is remote work so attractive?

The remote work environment is particularly appealing for attackers for several reasons. First, the home-network environment is not professionally managed. Most critically, this means that many more systems on home networks are not patched regularly, and a number of them are out of date with respect to vulnerability mitigation. Some may even be treated by their manufacturers as end-of-life (EOL) products, and will never receive mitigations even when serious vulnerabilities are found.

What is remote work?

Remote Work: Vulnerabilities and Threats to the Enterprise. For many organizations, COVID-19 dramatically changed the risk calculation for remote work. In January 2020, many enterprises viewed remote work with skepticism; by March, the choice for many was to become a remote-first enterprise or to shut down.

What is a VPN client?

The system running the VPN client becomes, effectively, an extension of the enterprise network, existing inside that network's perimeter with access to resources generally equivalent to any other system on the enterprise network. VPNs defend against attack via authenticated access control and isolation.

What is persistence on an enterprise network?

To persist on an enterprise network, an attacker who has exploited a system must avoid detection and resist remediation. Here too, the home network is friendlier to the attacker; threat detection is typically nearly absent, and remediation incidental, such as when a PC is reinstalled or retired because it is running slowly.

What is enterprise network?

Enterprise networks were traditionally accessed only on enterprise-provided equipment. This arrangement has permitted enterprises unrestricted access to monitor and configure the device precisely according to their risk profiles and mitigation strategies. It also has required the enterprise to purchase and maintain equipment. This has sometimes frustrated end users when the enterprise was unwilling to buy newer equipment, a problem that became particularly pronounced when smartphones and tablet devices entered the market.

Is remote work a threat?

Attackers have been aware of remote work as a threat vector for some time. Mandiant reported a 2015 trend of attackers hijacking VPN connections, even those protected with multi-factor authentication (MFA). Unsurprisingly, in 2020 attackers moved early to capitalize on the rapid shift to work from home at numerous organizations, including federal agencies, such as NASA.

Is availability a security property?

In such an environment, it's understandable to look for ways to do more with less. Availability is a security property, and few things threaten availability more than insolvency.

What is Wildfire malware analysis?

Resources: Learn how the cloud-delivered WildFire® malware analysis service – which is built into Cortex XDR and many other Palo Alto Networks products – aggregates data and threat intelligence from the industry’s largest global community to automatically identify and stop threats. Additionally, URL Filtering blocks access to malicious sites to help prevent phishing attacks.

What should security teams do if on-premises network and email security mechanisms are no longer available?

Recommendation: If some on-premises network and email security mechanisms are no longer available, security teams should double down on educating users to identify phishing attempts and to choose strong, unique passwords, encouraging the use of a password manager. They should also implement client certificates and multi-factor authentication in order to prevent attackers from gaining access through unsecured devices.

What is XDR in security?

Recommendation: Rather than invest in point solutions, consider security platforms that maximize integration between systems, limiting the amount of switching between tools and providing visibility into all data – including remote user activity. Extended detection and response (XDR) not only protects endpoints, but also applies analytics across all your data to find threats like unusual access or lateral movement, and simplifies investigations by stitching together data and identifying the root cause.

Why do companies use VPNs?

Historically, many companies deployed VPNs primarily for technical people needing access to critical technology assets. Not so much the case anymore – VPNs are often encouraged for all users as a more secure connection than home or public networks.

What are the risks of using a VPN?

Here are five top security risks that teams must deal with, as well as technology and user education best practices to keep users and data safe: 1. Weak remote access policies. Once attackers get access to a virtual private network (VPN), they can often penetrate the rest of the network like a hot knife through butter.

Why is it important to enforce access based on user identity?

Recommendation: It’s critical that companies enforce access based on user identity, allowing specific groups access to only what they need to get their jobs done, and expanding access from there on an as-needed basis.

What information could be used by attackers to target other organizations and their industrial systems?

This information, which may include data regarding assets, processes, and other sensitive items, could be used by attackers to target other organizations and their industrial systems.

Can an attacker see sensitive information?

Researchers noted that by exploiting the B&R flaws, an attacker who has gained authorized access to the B&R solution (for example, by simply acquiring a legitimate general license, available to anyone) can view sensitive information about other users whose information resides on the same server.

Who makes mbConnect24?

Researchers at Otorio discovered the vulnerabilities in remote access systems made by Austrian automation and process control technology company B&R Automation and in mbConnect24 software made by German company mbConnect Line .

What are the most pervasive things that admins fail to do?

Administrator Vulnerabilities. One of the most pervasive things that admins fail to do is educate themselves about known vulnerabilities and fixes. They might also fail to keep up to date with patches.

What is the most common mode of attack?

One fairly typical mode of attack is for a hacker to sniff on a public network, such a the Internet. The hacker looks for packets that come from a source that is able to get through, is trusted by, a particular firewall. Once the hacker discovers such a transmission source they might be able to construct their own packets and send them through this same firewall.

What is an IP header?

IP packet headers store information about transmission senders and receivers. Because of this it is not too difficult to construct packets so that they look like they came from a different sender. One fairly typical mode of attack is for a hacker to sniff on a public network, such a the Internet.

What does hardening an OS mean?

Hardening an OS means that all unrequired applications, services and protocols are disabled or maybe even completely removed.

What are user vulnerabilities?

User Vulnerabilities. Users sometimes write their login information on sticky notes and leave them places such as their monitors. Other users are sometimes too careless when they allow others to watch them log onto a system. Obviously their are other sorts of user vulnerabilities such as those gained through social engineering.

Do all vendors have their own website?

Almost all vendors, particularly well known ones, have their own websites where they post information, updates and patches for their products. Some firms also provide email notifications. Others also supply automatic updates. Though, I have some experience with automatic updates actually causing new problems.

Author: Haris Khan

Remote work is the new normal for IT teams around the globe, and there is no surprise as to why remote work is becoming so increasingly popular for organizations. The modern employee workforce is no longer restricted to one physical location.

What is secure remote access?

Secure remote access refers to the technology used for securely accessing a system or application remotely. Cybercriminals and malicious actors are consistently looking out for vulnerabilities and loopholes in remote work infrastructures to exploit and plan cyber attacks.

Which technologies are used for remote work access?

Secure remote access can be effectively implemented by utilizing a collection of highly innovative, secure, and flexible technologies while accessing a system or application from a remote location A few prominent examples of such technologies are listed below:

10 Best Practices for Secure Remote Work Access

Some of the best practices that you can adopt to improvise remote access security in your organization are described below:

Why cloud desktops are an optimal choice for secure remote access?

Cloud desktop solutions offer greater flexibility and ease of access as all of your files, applications and desktop reside on the cloud. Cloud desktops are one of the most resilient and secure forms of remote access.

All-In-One Secure Remote Access with V2 Cloud

As the organizational trend keeps transitioning to remote work, it’s crucial to comprehend the numerous cybersecurity risks and threats that are associated with remote access security. Remote work has become an increasingly viable option with tons of advantages.