Since the pandemic, remote and hybrid situations for full-time workers are rising. This shift has implications not just for team collaboration, but also for cybersecurity. With off-site workers, data can be more vulnerable than when workers are connected to an in-office network. Companies need a robust strategy for protecting their data and networks at a time when work arrangements are still evolving. That’s where AI for security and monitoring can be vital.
AI can supercharge an organization’s cybersecurity. Managed services organizations can help companies navigate this new territory. Here’s why it’s critical to consider updating your security strategy.
Learn more: AI growth increases demand for hybrid cloud security
The security risks of remote work
While remote work offers employees valued flexibility, it also introduces several risks:
- Insecure home networks.
- Unprotected personal devices that lack encryption.
- Use of cloud services without adequate safeguards.
Legacy firewalls offer one layer of protection but are no longer enough to protect a business’s assets. In addition to the broader opportunities for attacks that remote working presents, the characteristics of an unauthorized user are increasingly difficult to detect and distinguish from external partners, contractors, and legitimate remote employees who need regular access to data stored in the Cloud or SaaS platforms. Establishing and verifying a user’s identity on an ongoing basis is essential for maintaining the security of business data and limiting the security risks of remote work.
The impacts of an attack can be far-reaching, including unauthorized access to company data, compromised credentials, data breaches, and even the risk of lawsuits or hits to a company’s reputation. Another impact could be financial. In 2024, the average cost of a data breach increased 10% over the previous year, according to Thomson Reuters, to nearly $5 million. An IBM report found that costs are even higher when remote work is a factor. That’s because it took companies longer, on average, to identify a breach when most workers were remote.
Using AI for security and monitoring can:
- Reduce costs.
- Free up IT teams for high-value tasks.
- Enable secure access for remote workers while keeping digital workplaces secure.
AI can catapult security and monitoring to the next level
AI for security and monitoring is a powerful solution to these problems. It can monitor, detect, and respond to threats in real time, enhancing security and compliance across remote and hybrid workforces. That’s because it can analyze huge amounts of data to identify patterns that might indicate security breaches and automate responses, minimizing the impact of potential attacks.
AI tools can continuously monitor whether permissions align with job roles, deploy constantly evolving e-mail filters to detect phishing attempts, automatically classify sensitive data and prevent it from being sent over unsecured networks, and aggregate data across apps, networks, and devices to provide real-time insights into any threats. In other words, AI keeps pace with the ever-evolving threat of bad actors.
Managed services companies can support your journey
Remote and hybrid work are here to stay. However, while they create new opportunities for workers, they also created new security risks and attack surfaces. To secure the remote digital workplace, businesses must keep bad actors away while maintaining broad, efficient access for workers.
As the types and volume of cybersecurity threats evolve, companies must take their security and monitoring plans to the next level. Upgrading cybersecurity measures is a complex project, requiring the right skills and infrastructure. Managed services companies have years of experience, on-staff expertise, and relationships with the right technology partners to help organizations of all sizes take on such an intricate but vital project.
Harness the expertise of CBTS to protect your business
Businesses can take immediate action to enhance security, such as instituting multi-factor authentication, conducting a comprehensive security audit, and training employees. But they should consider making AI the next step on that list. CBTS can help guide businesses on the journey to modernizing cybersecurity. Their expertise includes security assessments, strategic design, solution implementation, and managed security services.
Contact the security experts at CBTS to get started on your path toward implementing AI for security and monitoring.
