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Secure Remote Access | What Is It and How It Works
January 23, 2024
In the wake of an unprecedented pandemic surge, the landscape of work underwent a radical shift, with remote work evolving from a provisional remedy to an enduring cornerstone for numerous organizations. While the concept of working from anywhere seemed hassle-free, it brought unforeseen vulnerabilities to organizational networks.
Remote access allowed employees to connect from anywhere, opening the door to potential security breaches. That made people lean towards Secure Remote Access. VPNs are initially the go-to secure remote access practice followed for ultimate security.
As the remote work scenario continues to transform, the inadequacies of traditional VPNs have become glaringly apparent, underscoring the imperative for cutting-edge security measures in today's dynamic environment. Let's learn more about secure remote access, know why VPNs aren't enough, and explore beyond VPN solutions in this blog.
Secure Remote Access (SRA) is similar to an umbrella posing a protective layer over your online activities and letting you connect to your systems from a distance. It employs various technologies and protocols to secure the confidentiality and authenticity of exchanged data.
In an era where remote work is prevalent, the significance of Secure Remote worker Access cannot be overstated. Here's why:
Here is the step-by-step breakdown of how secure remote access works:
The process begins when a user initiates a request to access a system or network remotely.
The system checks and verifies the user's identity, ensuring only the right person gets in.
If needed, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is established, creating a secure and encrypted tunnel through which the user's data will travel.
Now data is encrypted, transforming it into a coded format that is impenetrable to unauthorized parties, for better confidentiality during transmission.
The system verifies the user's identity and grants access only to the authorized resources based on permissions, preventing unauthorized entry.
With authentication, encryption, and authorization a secure connection is achieved, allowing the user to interact with the remote system confidently and securely.
Explore the game-changing benefits that Secure Remote Access offers to individuals working remotely:
Nowadays Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have become a standard tool with the shift to remote work, yet the conventional approach reveals shortcomings.
Because VPNs create secure pathways for data transmission and fall short of addressing the broader challenges posed by the multitude of insecure devices on the same home network.
Despite their effectiveness in securing data transmission, VPNs don't protect against compromised devices in the home network, leaving corporate laptops exposed to potential breaches. What is the solution?
Amidst the traditional VPN solutions, Uplevel Systems redefines secure remote access. Addressing all the vulnerabilities, Uplevel Systems offered a Uplevel Home Gateway which effortlessly fits into employees' residences, acting as a plug-and-play firewall.
Upon self-installation, it automatically forms a protected area referred to as the "walled garden." This specific zone permits entry exclusively to corporate laptops or devices, omitting any personal employee-owned gadgets. Using the provided Wi-Fi, employees can securely engage within the "walled garden," interacting with corporate data as if they were physically situated in the office. Here are the features that set it apart from traditional VPN solutions:
Uplevel creates a "walled garden," a secure space within the employee's home network that keeps personal devices separate from corporate laptops. This smart move prevents possible breaches from spreading between devices, setting a higher standard for secure connections.
Regularly checking the traffic between the "walled garden" and the office adds an extra layer of security. Uplevel's Advanced Inspection feature ensures that even if an employee's device is compromised, harmful traffic won't crawl into the corporate network.
Uplevel goes beyond conventional VPN setups. It limits VPN tunnels to known secure devices, such as Uplevel gateways, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access and potential breaches.
Uplevel makes it easy to follow security rules for regulatory compliance by extending the company's safety measures into the home. This guarantees compliance without sacrificing the flexibility of remote work.
Looking ahead, secure remote access is getting even safer and easier. Technologies such as Uplevel Systems simplify, secure, and make remote work access flexible for everyone. Uplevel Systems stands at the forefront, offering innovative solutions to evolving challenges, and is the ideal choice for remote worker security with no commitments, no upfront purchases, and flexible service subscriptions. Partner with Uplevel today and ensure your remote workforce meets the dynamic needs of secure remote access.
Uplevel Systems is a small business IT infrastructure provider that sells exclusively through managed service providers. Uplevel’s subscription offering is the most popular with SMBs, but some prefer Uplevel’s new equipment purchase program and use a CapEx model.
