ACE Journal

Securing a Suddenly Remote Workforce: A Tactical Checklist

Abstract

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations found themselves scrambling to support a fully remote workforce. This article provides a tactical, checklist-style guide for IT and security teams to rapidly shore up defenses. Topics include VPN hardening, endpoint protection, secure collaboration tools, and phishing awareness for distributed teams.

1. Introduction

As companies raced to move employees offsite in March and April 2020, IT teams faced unprecedented pressure to deploy remote-access infrastructure overnight. While business continuity took priority, security could not be neglected—unpatched endpoints, misconfigured VPNs, and increased phishing activity all combined to create new risks. The checklist below is designed to help security practitioners quickly identify and remediate the most critical controls required to protect a “suddenly remote” workforce.

2. VPN Hardening

Ensuring that remote users connect through a secure VPN is foundational. Follow these steps to lock down VPN access:

  1. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
    • Require a second factor (TOTP app, hardware token, or push notification) for every VPN login.
    • Disable legacy authentication methods (e.g., RADIUS without MFA, pre-shared keys).
  2. Limit VPN Access by Role and Location
    • Use role-based access controls to assign only necessary network segments to each user group (e.g., engineers vs. HR staff).
    • Restrict concurrent sessions and geo-restrict logins to approved countries or regions if possible.
  3. Upgrade to Modern, Secure VPN Protocols
    • Deprecate older protocols (PPTP, L2TP without IPsec) in favor of TLS-based or IPsec-AES-GCM solutions (e.g., OpenVPN with AES-256-GCM, WireGuard).
    • Ensure the VPN gateway is patched to the latest stable release.
  4. Apply Network Segmentation on the VPN Gateway
    • Split “office” resources into separate segments (e.g., file-share network, admin consoles, internal SaaS) and only allow necessary routes per user role.
    • Configure firewall rules on the VPN concentrator to enforce “deny all” by default and whitelist individual IPs/ports.
  5. Monitor and Log All VPN Activity
    • Forward VPN logs (connection attempts, source IP, device ID) to a centralized SIEM or log collector.
    • Set up alerts for anomalous patterns, such as multiple failed logins from a single account or logins from unusual locations.

3. Endpoint Protection

With all employees now working from home, each laptop or desktop effectively becomes its own “mini office.” Harden endpoints using the following checklist:

  1. Mandate Disk Encryption
    • Enforce full-disk encryption on all company devices (BitLocker for Windows, FileVault for macOS).
    • For BYOD scenarios, require proof of encryption before granting VPN or application access.
  2. Deploy/Update Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) Agents
    • Ensure every managed endpoint has a lightweight EDR agent installed (e.g., CrowdStrike Falcon, Carbon Black, Microsoft Defender ATP).
    • Verify that signature databases and behavioral engines are current—schedule daily automatic updates.
  3. Patch Management and OS Hardening
    • Configure automatic OS updates (Windows Update, macOS Software Update) with aggressive timelines (e.g., within 48 hours of patch release).
    • Harden local firewall settings: allow only essential outbound connections (e.g., VPN tunnel, DNS, HTTPS).
  4. Restrict Local Administrator Rights
    • Remove local admin privileges for standard users; leverage Privileged Access Management (PAM) for temporary elevation when required.
    • Use “just-in-time” elevation tools (e.g., Microsoft LAPS, third-party PAM) to reduce attack surface.
  5. Enforce Secure Boot and Firmware Integrity Checks
    • Enable Secure Boot on Windows 10 and modern Linux laptops to prevent boot-kit infections.
    • Schedule periodic scans for known firmware vulnerabilities and apply patches via vendor utilities.
  6. Implement Host-Based Firewalls and Application Whitelisting
    • Turn on built-in host firewalls (Windows Defender Firewall, PF on macOS) with rules that only allow approved applications to make outbound connections.
    • Consider application whitelisting tools (e.g., AppLocker on Windows, Jamf on macOS) to prevent execution of unauthorized binaries.

4. Secure Collaboration Tools

Remote teams rely heavily on video conferencing, file sharing, and chat platforms. Misconfigured collaboration apps can become a new attack vector. Harden them using the checklist below:

  1. Select Enterprise-Grade Solutions with Strong Encryption
    • Prefer platforms that offer end-to-end encryption or, at minimum, TLS encryption in transit (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom with AES-GCM, Google Meet with TLS).
    • Verify that data at rest is encrypted by the vendor (e.g., AES-256 at rest for SharePoint/OneDrive).
  2. Enable Single Sign-On (SSO) via Corporate Identity Provider
    • Integrate collaboration tools with your IdP (Azure AD, Okta, or similar) to enforce MFA for all users.
    • Disable local account creation; require all users to authenticate through the corporate SSO portal.
  3. Configure Secure Meeting Defaults (Video/Audio)
    • Require meeting passwords or waiting rooms for all video calls.
    • Disable “join before host” and “file transfer” features if not strictly needed.
    • Turn off screen sharing for participants by default; only allow explicitly when necessary.
  4. Control File Sharing Permissions
    • Set strict sharing policies on cloud storage (e.g., OneDrive, Google Drive):
      • Default to “internal only” links; disable public sharing.
      • Use Data Loss Prevention (DLP) rules to prevent sharing of sensitive file types (e.g., spreadsheets containing PII).
    • Review existing shared folders to revoke outdated or overly broad permissions.
  5. Implement Mobile Device Management (MDM) for Mobile Collaboration
    • Enroll corporate mobile devices (or BYOD devices in a managed container) into your MDM (e.g., Microsoft Intune, Jamf).
    • Enforce app-level PIN or biometric unlock, prohibit jailbroken/rooted devices, and limit copy/paste between secure containers and personal apps.

5. Phishing Awareness & Email Security

Attackers ramped up phishing campaigns to exploit remote work anxieties. Secure your distributed inboxes with the following steps:

  1. Enable Strong Email Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
    • Publish strict SPF records that only include your mail-sending hosts.
    • Sign outbound mail with DKIM using a 2048-bit key.
    • Enforce DMARC “p=quarantine” (or “reject” if confidence is high) to block spoofed messages.
  2. Deploy Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) / Secure Email Gateway
    • Use a cloud-based ATP that scans attachments and URLs in real time (e.g., Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Proofpoint).
    • Enable sandboxing for suspicious attachments—open them in an isolated environment before delivery.
  3. Roll Out Phishing Simulations and User Training
    • Launch periodic, realistic phishing simulations to gauge user susceptibility (e.g., fake “IT Support” or “HR Policy Update” messages).
    • Provide immediate, in-browser feedback and short, targeted training modules when users click test phishes.
  4. Configure Email Client Security Settings
    • Disable auto-downloading of external images in Outlook, Gmail, and other clients to prevent tracking pixels.
    • Block legacy email protocols (e.g., IMAP/POP without TLS). If allowed, require OAuth-based authentication only.
  5. Establish a Clear Phishing Reporting Process
    • Add a “Report Phish” button to all corporate mailboxes using built-in integrations (e.g., Office 365’s “Report Message” add-in).
    • Route reported emails to a dedicated queue in the SOC or IT Service Desk for rapid analysis and response.

6. Additional Considerations

6.1 Home Network Security

6.2 Secure Backup and Data Recovery

6.3 Incident Response (IR) for Remote Incidents

7. Conclusion

Securing a suddenly remote workforce requires rapid, prioritized action across multiple layers: network (VPN), endpoints, collaboration platforms, and user awareness. By following this tactical checklist, organizations can significantly reduce their attack surface and better defend against opportunistic threats. Remember that this is a living document—regularly revisit each section as the pandemic evolves, new vulnerabilities emerge, and remote work becomes part of your long-term culture.