What is Remote Access ?
How does remote access work. It allows you to remote onto a desktop or a server, whether it’s a personal device or office server, without being physically present. It’s usually via a temporary software agent installed and then you’re granted access to that device and then it de- installs the agent at the end of the remote session.
What are the challenges?
When it comes to providing remote access to a global workforce, partners, and vendors, the options are plentiful – VPNs, RDP, SSH, and Remote Access Software, to name a few. However, with numerous applications and endpoints requiring support, finding a one-size-fits-all solution becomes a daunting task for Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), and Tech Leads. Moreover, assembling a suite of tools requested by different teams not only requires a significant investment but also strains internal IT resources, as each application becomes a potential entry point for hackers.
Invisible Backdoors
There are situations where approved remote access tools fall short, leading to unauthorised workarounds that violate security protocols. Despite business warnings against such shortcuts, operational teams often resort to them when deadlines or business continuity are at stake. While these quick fixes may suffice initially, they often result in forgotten, unseen backdoors that pose significant risks to cybersecurity.
The Ideal Remote Access
In an ideal scenario, remote access should adhere to a least privilege approach, restricting access to the bare minimum required to accomplish tasks. Even if credentials were compromised, sessions should be authenticated and authorised just in time, rendering them useless to unauthorised individuals. Therefore, separating remote access from network access is often advisable to prevent unauthorised entry into other network applications.
When the Trusted Solution Falls Short
To meet these ideals, decision-makers often rely on trusted solutions, even if they are not entirely suitable for the task at hand. For instance, tools intended for IT access are frequently used for Operational Technology and core tech like servers and networks, despite their limitations. Technicians often finds themselves in situations where VPN access to a secure zone doesn’t provide access to the required endpoint. In such cases, cumbersome workarounds involving jump hosts may be necessary, resulting in inefficiencies and potential security risks.
Consider an Edge-case Solution
It is crucial for CIOs, CISOs, and Tech Leads to recognise that solutions suitable for standard IT scenarios may not suffice for edge cases, which often involve third-party access, core infrastructure, and Operational Technology equipment. Offering a secondary tool with zero trust access on demand, separate from the customer’s network, can provide hassle-free third-party access during such edge cases, eliminating the need for unauthorised workarounds.
This is where Bifrost Connect comes in.
At BifrostConnect, remote access is not just a service; it’s a way of life. For those in the IT field, it’s no secret that remote access presents significant hurdles, often causing friction when external experts assist large corporations. However, if a Chief Information Officer were to shadow their staff for a day, they would quickly realise that this friction can lead individuals within their organisation to circumvent standard tools and security measures to achieve their goals. Unfortunately, such actions often go unnoticed by IT administrators, leading to a false sense of security among management.
BifrostConnect-Softwareless-remote-access for IT-OT/
