When people work remotely, professional devices leave the company network. They connect through home broadband, public Wi-Fi, sometimes shared networks. Without a specific organisation, that creates blind spots in IT security.
What changes with remote work
In a traditional office, workstations sit behind a firewall, connected to a controlled network, physically in a secure space. With remote working, none of those protections apply automatically. Devices are exposed to less reliable networks, and the user faces phishing attempts or suspicious activity without the nearby support of a team.
That does not mean remote working is inherently dangerous. It means it requires a different kind of organisation.
The essentials to put in place
Consistently configured devices. Ideally, every workstation is delivered with a standard configuration: disk encryption enabled, access protected by a strong password, coherent security settings. A device configured in haste or left to the user’s discretion will reliably have gaps.
Updates applied even off-site. When devices are off the company network, updates are no longer guaranteed if they depend on local infrastructure. Centralised device management (MDM) keeps security policies in place and deploys updates regardless of where the employee is working from.
Strong authentication on every access. A password alone is not enough. Two-factor authentication on professional accounts (email, collaboration tools, data access) is a baseline protection that holds up against stolen credentials.
Separation of personal and professional use. Mixing personal and professional use on the same device creates risk: a poorly secured personal application can expose professional data. When personal devices are unavoidable, minimum rules must apply.
What centralised management changes in practice
Centralised device management, built into InfraPro’s 360 offer, gives a clear picture of the state of every device, lets security policies be applied remotely, and allows quick action when something happens: a lost device, an employee who has left, a detected security event. This is the heart of what managed devices are.
Without that visibility, every off-site device becomes a blind spot. A workstation that hasn’t been updated for weeks can be vulnerable without anyone knowing.
What stays the same
Good practices remain the same wherever your team works: not clicking on suspicious links, reporting unusual activity, not bypassing security procedures. The difference with remote working is that the environment is less controlled, which makes those habits more important, not less.
To learn more about device management and securing remote workstations, visit our cybersecurity page.
Written by Guillaume, InfraPro, IT partner for SMEs and nonprofits.
