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How to Keep Your Remote Workforce Secure Without Slowing Them Down

Remote work is here to stay - but so are the cyber risks that come with it. As teams log in from home offices, cafés, and coworking spaces, IT Managers are under more pressure than ever to keep systems secure without sacrificing productivity. In this guide, we explore the top security challenges facing remote teams today, and the best practices to stay one step ahead.

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How to Keep Your Remote Workforce Secure Without Slowing Them Down

Hackers love remote work. Why? Because every laptop in a café, every home Wi-Fi network, and every unprotected login is an open door to your company’s data. Remote work isn’t new, but the threats targeting it are more advanced than ever. IT Managers need to stay ahead—securing data, devices, and networks without slowing teams down. So, how do you protect your business without killing productivity?

The Growing Risks of Remote Work

A person sitting on a sofa, holding a laptop, representing working from home.

When employees step outside the office, your security controls step outside with them. Home networks, personal devices, and the lack of in-person verification create the perfect playground for cybercriminals. These vulnerabilities make it easier for cybercriminals to expose sensitive data, cause financial losses, and disrupt operations. Key threats to consider include:

  • Unsecured Networks: Home and public Wi-Fi networks often lack robust security, leaving data vulnerable to interception.
  • Phishing Attacks: Cybercriminals use phishing tactics to exploit remote workers, tricking them into revealing login credentials or installing malicious software.
  • Device Vulnerabilities: Employees who use personal devices for work increase security risks for your company, especially when those devices are not secured.
  • Lost or Stolen Devices: A misplaced laptop or phone can be catastrophic. Without encryption or remote wipe options, critical business data may fall into the wrong hands.

Building a Secure Remote Work Environment

To stay ahead of these risks, IT Managers need more than just basic security—they need a multi-layered defense. Securing endpoints, networks, and access controls is critical to keeping cyber threats at bay. A strong security strategy should include:

    • Zero Trust Security – Trust no one. Authenticate every device and user before they access company systems, eliminating the “trusted by default” risk and ensuring constant vigilance.

    • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) – Add an extra layer of protection during logins to reduce unauthorized access, even if someone compromises a password. According to NordLayer’s Decemeber 2024 report, more than 99.9% of compromised accounts don’t have MFA. MFA is essential because it cuts the risk of compromise by 99.22% overall and by 98.56% with leaked credentials.

    • Secure Network Access – VPNs and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions encrypt your team’s internet connection, safeguarding sensitive data wherever they access it.

    • Data Encryption – Encrypting data both in transit and at rest ensures that even if hackers intercept it, they won’t be able to read it without the proper decryption key.

    • Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) – Real-time monitoring and threat detection tools help your team spot and stop cyber threats before they escalate into breaches.

                

Secure Productivity in Action: Tradex

Professional services firms are stepping up their remote data security game with Secure Productivity (SP) solutions. By taking a proactive approach to security, businesses are not only reducing cyber risks but also boosting operational efficiency.

As Tradex expanded its remote capabilities, the company needed an IT environment that was secure, resilient, and ready for modern ways of working. When a serious malware threat emerged, Wanstor acted fast—neutralising the risk and preventing extended downtime that could have left remote teams unable to work for weeks. This incident became the catalyst for a complete IT transformation. Wanstor consolidated and secured Tradex’s legacy infrastructure, retiring unnecessary servers and migrating core systems to the cloud—empowering employees to access data and systems safely from anywhere. With Microsoft 365 and Teams now fully integrated, staff are able to collaborate securely and efficiently in a remote-first environment. As CIO Sarb Lota put it:

“My end goal was to update the way we work. I wanted to move away from Excel to streamline how we collect, manage and utilise data, enabling teams to focus on underwriting and not tasks that could be automated. Fortunately, Wanstor were on the same page.”

Future-Proofing Remote Work Security

As cyber threats continue to evolve, organisations must stay ahead by implementing scalable security measures. For IT Managers, the key to effective security is focusing on strategies that offer:

  • Full visibility into devices, user activity, and potential security incidents to stay ahead of emerging risks.

  • Proactive threat detection, enabling the identification of vulnerabilities before they lead to breaches.

  • Security tools that seamlessly integrate with workflows, ensuring remote teams are protected without sacrificing productivity.

With Wanstor’s Secure Productivity solution, businesses can ensure their remote teams remain secure, productive, and compliant—no matter where they work. By adopting a robust and scalable security framework, IT Managers can reduce risks, protect sensitive data, and empower teams to operate efficiently in a digital-first world.

Reach out today to find out more.