A Practical Guide for Implementing and Managing Remote Access Solutions

Not long ago, remote access was reserved for a select few, such as traveling salespeople and senior executives. Today, it has become ubiquitous. Indeed, users across many roles and functions in the modern office now routinely connect to the corporate network from off-site locations and work with resources as if they were connected to the local network.

However, allowing users to access corporate resources remotely introduces security risks, so robust management is vital. This article provides the key information organizations need to implement remote access securely and effectively.

Key Technologies in Remote Access

Remote access technologies have evolved over the years. Some of the popular alternatives today include the following:

• Virtual Private Network (VPN) has been the de facto standard for many years. It allows remote users to access the corporate network securely using encrypted connections over the internet.

• Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a proprietary protocol developed by Microsoft. It is commonly used by IT support personnel to remotely access, control and troubleshoot another Windows computer over a network connection.
  
• Third-party remote access solutions offer alternatives to Remote Desktop Protocol for remote access and control of computers. Examples include TeamViewer, LogMeIn, and GoToMyPC. Vendors and external support teams commonly use these tools to securely access and troubleshoot corporate resources without the need for a direct VPN connection to the organization's network.
  
• Secure Shell (SSH) is a secure network protocol that provides encrypted communication and remote command-line access to servers and other devices. IT professionals commonly use it for remote administration and management tasks.

Securing Remote Connections

Allowing remote access to the corporate network makes critical systems and data more vulnerable to cyber threats. Some of the technologies used to secure remote access include the following:

• Encryption ensures that data transmitted over remote connections is unreadable even if it is intercepted. Standard encryption protocols include TLS, IPsec and AES.

• Multifactor authentication (MFA) adds a layer of security by requiring at least two authentication methods, such as a password plus a fingerprint or code sent to a user's device.

• Access controls restrict user permissions to only what is necessary for their job role, adhering to the principle of least privilege. This minimizes the damage that the user could do, deliberately or accidentally, as well as the impact if the account were compromised by an attacker.

• Secure gateways, such as a VPN solution, are network appliances or installed software that provide secure remote access to corporate resources by authenticating users, enforcing access policies and encrypting connections over untrusted networks like the internet.

You can learn more about securing remote access in Active Directory environments here.

Implementing Remote Access Solutions

Implementing a remote access system is a complex process that requires careful planning and execution. Here are the key steps:

• Conduct a thorough assessment. The goal is to gain an in-depth understanding of your workforce's specific requirements and preferences.

• Evaluate possible solutions. Be sure to consider scalability, security and cost factors, and ensure that your network and servers can support the candidate solution.

• Develop a deployment plan. Outline the implementation steps, timeline and required resources. The plan should include any upgrades to your existing hardware or software components.

• Integrate the solution. Adjust your existing infrastructure, such as firewall policies or router settings, and integrate the solution with your on-premises or cloud directory services. Configure access controls to enforce the principle of least privilege.

• Install the remote access software. Install the solution on your servers and deploy any required client software to users. Configure the solution to meet your requirements.

• Conduct thorough testing. Ensure that the system works as expected under different scenarios. This includes testing various user roles and access levels to verify that the remote access solution performs reliably and securely in all potential use cases.

• Provide comprehensive training. Ensure that all users know how to use the remote access system properly.

Management Tools for Remote Access

While preventive controls like MFA and encryption are vital to security, they are not sufficient. To ensure security, compliance and operational efficiency, organization needs to closely audit remote access sessions for suspicious activity, keep devices and applications updated, monitor the health of their systems.

Most networks come equipped with basic remote access monitoring and management tools. For instance, Windows Server includes Event Viewer for reviewing system and application logs, as well as the Windows Remote Management (WinRM) service, which enables administrators to manage Windows systems using PowerShell commands and scripts remotely. However, these manual tools require significant time and effort from security personnel.

To reduce operational costs and empower IT teams to effectively support the remote workforce, many organizations invest in third-party solutions that automate routine remote management tasks. Top offerings that support Windows, Mac and Linux environments include:

• Netwrix Auditor helps organizations that utilize remote access to maintain security, ensure compliance and improve operational efficiency. It provides comprehensive visibility into user activity, detects suspicious behavior, sends real-time alerts on critical events and automates response to potential security threats. Plus, it offers extensive reporting to facilitate compliance and streamline audits.

• LogicMonitor helps teams proactively identify and resolve issues related to remote access with features such as automated discovery, access control, encryption, real-time alerting and customizable dashboards.

• SolarWinds offersa remote monitoring and management solutionthatenables IT teams to discover new devices on the network and bring them under centralized management with a single click. Real-time alerts and reporting capabilities enable proactive monitoring of device health, performance and security status.

Optimizing Performance in Remote Access Systems

When workloads must traverse long distances, latency becomes a significant issue. The following tips can help optimize availability, performance and reliability of remote access:

• Use high-speed, low-latency network connections for servers.
• Implement quality of service (QoS) policies to prioritize remote access traffic over non-critical traffic.
• Deploy load balancing and failover mechanisms to distribute traffic across multiple servers.
• Leverage content delivery networks (CDNs) or edge servers to reduce network latency for geographically dispersed users.
• Implement scalable, elastic architectures that dynamically allocate resources based on demand, seamlessly handling high traffic while maintaining service quality.
• Invest in a dedicated monitoring and analytics solution to track performance metrics and identify bottlenecks so you can proactively address issues.
• Look for solutions that offer advanced compression and encoding techniques that minimize bandwidth usage and latency.

Challenges in Remote Access Management

Adopting a remote access solution is not always quick and easy. Common challenges include the following:

• Maintaining security - Implementing a new solution can introduce unanticipated security gaps. Organizations must implement robust security measures to eliminate new vulnerabilities and protect data with strict access controls, multifactor authentication and encryption.

• Managing IT infrastructure complexity - As organizations grow and adopt new technologies, their IT infrastructure becomes increasingly complex, with multiple systems, applications and platforms to manage. This complexity can lead to compatibility issues, integration challenges and increased maintenance overhead.

• Ensuring scalability - Organizations must implement scalable solutions that can accommodate growth, fluctuations in workloads and changing requirements without compromising performance or incurring excessive costs.

• Maintaining data quality and compliance - It is crucial to ensure data quality, consistency and accessibility across various systems and platforms while also addressing data governance, security and compliance requirements.

• Managing IT costs - Managing IT costs is an ongoing operational challenge. Organizations must balance the need for robust and effective solutions with budgetary constraints.

Compliance and Legal Considerations

Regulations like GDPR, HIPAA and CCPA mandate strict data privacy and security measures to safeguard sensitive information. To comply with these and related legal requirements, organizations that allow remote access need to implement best practices such as data encryption, multifactor authentication, regular security audits and frequent training for employees on security policies.

Monitoring and updating remote access systems will help mitigate risks and ensure compliance with evolving legal standards. Equally important is attention to detailed documentation and audit trails, which are vital for demonstrating compliance during regulatory inspections and audits. Organizations should consider implementing confidentiality agreements and clearly defined work ownership policies to protect intellectual property and maintain a secure remote work environment.

Future Trends in Remote Access Technologies

Predicting the future is always tricky, but there are some clear trends involving remote access visible today. Cloud-based remote access solutions are quickly becoming the norm, and on-prem tools are fading away. Remote access will increasingly involve integrated platforms that include capabilities like video conferencing, screen sharing, remote support and real-time chat in a single package. In addition, predictive analytics will customize the remote experience for each user to accommodate their job role and user preferences. AI will also be more significant in securing remote connections to keep corporate resources safe.

Case Study: A Remote Access Management Success Story with Netwrix

Landmark Structures was facing security and compliance challenges related to its hybrid IT environment with outsourced staff. By implementing Netwrix Auditor, they gained the comprehensive visibility into user activity and system changes that they needed to prevent data breaches and system outages. Real-time alerts and detailed audit trails now enable the company to swiftly detect and respond to threats, such as a brute-force attack on their web server, as well as to enforce security policies and maintain compliance by identifying and rectifying security misconfigurations. The platform also simplifies privilege management and enhances the company's security posture by identifying misconfigurations and vulnerabilities.

FAQ

What is remote management access?

Remote access management refers to the processes, tools and technologies used to control and monitor remote access to an organization's networks, systems and data. It involves managing access privileges, authenticating users and auditing remote sessions to ensure secure and compliant access for remote employees, third-party vendors and IT support teams.

What is a remote access manager?

A remote access manager is a solution for controlling and monitoring remote access to an organization's networks, systems and data. It typically provides capabilities like user authentication, access control, session monitoring, auditing and reporting.

How do I enable remote access management?

Start by understanding core technologies like VPN and Remote Desktop Services. Then choose a robust access management solution that include features like multifactor authentication and encryption. Configure firewalls and set up endpoint security measures to protect devices. Deploy monitoring tools to track remote access activity and detect potential threats. Regularly update and patch systems to mitigate vulnerabilities, and train employees on secure remote access practices.