New cloud computing and mobile technologies promise to transform the digital workplace by empowering employees to be more productive, regardless of where they work. With various endpoints, users, apps, cloud services, and operating systems to choose from, workers today expect immediate access to the information or data they need.
But, of course, they don’t want security obstacles.
Therefore, it is vital to establish a zero-trust security ecosystem that requires a strategic technical approach to cybersecurity. However, building a foundational architecture and process is the most crucial step.
Endpoint management plays a pivotal role in transforming conventional enterprise security into a zero-trust environment where employees can confidently embrace secure cloud services and apps for work.
The end goal is to ensure your people stay productive. But, at the same time, their devices are protected no matter where they work from, so your business is safe from potential threats.
To help you with seamless endpoint management, here are some of the biggest challenges for IT teams managing endpoints and how to overcome them.
Remote Workforce
The rapid digital transformation propelled IT teams to quickly regroup and ensure flexibility of systems and services on an aggressive acceleration schedule.
A survey (2019) by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that merely 7% of employees enjoy the benefits of a “flexible workplace,” specifically those usually in management positions.
This indicates that it’s rare for organizations, let alone big enterprises, to have their workforce work from remote locations. As a result, endpoint management becomes a challenge with devices in a hybrid work arrangement.
While some firms have gone 100% remote for an indefinite period, others are keen to return to pre-pandemic working arrangements or are settling into a hybrid structure.
The hybrid arrangement brings up a new challenge: endpoint management.
With a well-rounded solution, you have your backups stored in a secure location, be it on a USB drive, in the cloud or in a remote facility. Also, it is imperative to identify the endpoints’ vulnerabilities by assessing and cataloging the weaker areas.
Then, you can leverage this data, providing network access to risk-free and protected devices.
Unprotected USB Devices
Removable devices have become standard tools in the workplace today. They comprise everything from memory cards, optical disks to smartphones, external hard drives, and USB flash drives. In addition, removable devices allow employees to store files with them when traveling or working from home.
However, despite their practicality, removable/USB devices are vulnerable to security attacks.
According to the SANS State of ICS Cybersecurity Survey (2019), 56% of industrial control systems and operational technology attacks were initiated via direct physical access through a USB stick.
As a result, device control tools are a vital component for data protection strategies, which will enable your organization to restrict and control the use of removable devices.
This worrisome list of security threats that come with USB drives makes it imperative for companies to ensure safe use of removable devices and USBs and effective endpoint management.
For this, you can leverage intelligent and automated solutions like PortBlocker that help prevent data loss with efficient USB-port blocking. Additionally, it helps you with USB ports management by letting you block unapproved devices.
Scale Up Operations
You may lack critical information or invest too much time to collate it from different sources, so administration becomes unwieldy.
The ability to scale up your business operations securely and reliably to all endpoints, including the ones not connected to the specific corporate network, is critical to allowing a remote workforce and supporting the company’s systems and network.
This way, you can also ensure that they stay protected and updated at all times, helping your company network stay readily available for mission-critical apps.
Wrapping Up
Combating the challenges of endpoint management and increasing your security is paramount for IT teams to safeguard the business from being a cyberattack victim. An encryption solution provider like DataLocker can help your IT staff by providing controls in real-time to protect the endpoint data and devices alike.
Management and property control software, SafeConsole can help you track, encrypt, remove access, and lockdown external drives as crunches arise, giving your company complete control over cloud and remote data.
Address the above endpoint management challenges by deploying robust tools that improve security. Visit DataLocker’s website to get a custom demo on encrypted USB drives, hard drives, and other cybersecurity solutions that ensure your complete peace of mind.