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working flexibly between business premises and their homes , network traffic will constantly and unpredictably switch from LAN to WAN and back , making monitoring and control even more difficult than with a permanently-remote workforce .
Now more than ever , IT and security teams must have uncompromised visibility across the network , to ensure all traffic is analysed and potential threats spotted , regardless of employees ’ changing work locations . Because it ’ s hard to predict how things will evolve - whether remote working will be enforced again , or what cyber-risks will arise - organisations must strive for resilience and be prepared to quickly adapt their security approach . When devising their strategies in these uncertain times , businesses should seek threat detection solutions that can be easily installed and that can rapidly improve security outcomes and generate ROI , thereby driving agility and cost-efficiency .
Enhancing visibility and security on a budget As revenues shrink due to the crisis , companies are forced to resolve unprecedented problems on a tight or reduced budget . In a new tomorrow where customer demand can drop unexpectedly due to global events , working with optimisation in mind is fundamental . When it comes to network monitoring , there are ways to drive cost-efficiency while ensuring threat protection - for instance , eliminating duplicate traffic and data from low-risk applications . Due to limited resources and cautious policies aimed at retaining profits , companies are currently unable to invest in new solutions to battle new challenges - instead , they can redeploy unused network monitoring tools to make the most of existing assets .
Optimising resources also means using employees ’ time and energy more efficiently : with teams overwhelmed by IT requests from remote and fluid workers , technology must be leveraged to speed up repetitive jobs and improve results . These measures combined can enable significant cost savings and enhance security capabilities by up to 70 %. At a time where cyberthreats are fierce and ever-changing , this can be of vital help . attacks take place . Only then will employees be empowered to work safely , wherever they are , maintaining security across the business .
Adapting to an evolving situation
One of the most destabilising aspects of this year ’ s events is the speed at which the workplace drastically changed : companies had to quickly change gears to manage and protect a workforce that became remote overnight . Businesses , many of them unprepared for this shift , saw employees suddenly access company resources with their own unsecured devices , or use company laptops with personal WiFi connections . This made corporate networks infinitely more complex , broadening the attack surface and increasing risks . Now , with staff transitioning back to the office , or
Embracing new strategies All periods of crisis , while causing unwelcome disruptions , can be an opportunity for evolution and positive change . For example , defending company networks in an entirely new cybersecurity landscape requires rethinking traditional approaches to security and adopting innovative methods . The unpredictability of fluid working - with staff cooperating remotely from virtually anywhere , with whatever device or connection is more convenient - means networks with a defined perimeter are now ancient history . Therefore , considering assets “ safe ” just because they sit within the network can be incredibly risky - in other words , no user should be granted implicit trust .
That ’ s why many organisations are finally abandoning privilege-based access management methods , unsuitable to secure the modern digital workplace , and are embracing a Zero Trust framework , in which access to resources is given based on user behaviour . Gathering and analysing the necessary information is only possible by thoroughly monitoring all network traffic - you can ’ t monitor what you can ’ t see , so at the heart of a ZT architecture is complete network visibility .
No one expected this year to be as testing as it has been so far and few organisations were prepared for the financial difficulties , IT issues and security threats created by this new norm . The road ahead is challenging to say the least but , with network visibility as the cornerstone of their cyber-strategy , organisations can to optimise investments , adapt agilely and ensure protection in the next phase of the pandemic and beyond . n
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