CLOUD & CYBER
Bring-your-own-device culture ( BYOD ) has created a headache for CSOs . And the prospect of a hybrid working future is far from the tonic
WRITTEN BY : LAURA BERRILL
When it comes to enterprise and business , the proliferation of home and hybrid working models means keeping an eye on both work and personal computing devices ’ cyber security .
So , what is endpoint technology ? An endpoint is a remote computing device that communicates back and forth with a network to which it is connected . Examples are desktops , laptops , smartphones , tablets , servers , workstations and IoT devices .
Attack surface The problem is endpoints also represent key vulnerable points of entry for cyber criminals . They are commonly used as entry points because they are the end user interface to an IT system . Additionally , each one can provide critical information , as well as being linked to each other , which enables hackers to move laterally across other machines within organisations they are attacking .
If people are working from home a lot of the time and also using ‘ bring your own ’ ie : personal devices , then there is risk to corporate security , so it ’ s a balancing act between corporate control and a ‘ big brother ’ approach .
Pete Braithwaite , COO at KIT Online says : “ Despite the positives of home working and BYO being flexibility , agility and infrastructure cost savings , the lack of
technologymagazine . com 81