How to Secure Remote Access: A Practical Business Checklist
Remote access can improve productivity and operational flexibility, but an unmanaged remote connection may introduce unnecessary security risks.
Organisations should establish clear technical and administrative controls before allowing employees, contractors or support providers to connect to business systems.
1. Require Multi-Factor Authentication
Passwords alone may not provide sufficient protection.
Multi-factor authentication requires the user to provide an additional verification factor before accessing the account.
Splashtop provides authentication controls such as two-factor authentication and endpoint authentication, while enterprise configurations can support centrally managed identity requirements.
2. Use Single Sign-On for Enterprise Users
SSO allows organisations to connect remote access authentication with a compatible identity provider.
This can simplify account administration and help organisations apply consistent authentication policies.
When an employee leaves the company, administrators can disable the organisational account rather than managing separate credentials across multiple platforms.
3. Apply Least-Privilege Access
Users should only be able to access the computers and features necessary for their roles.
For example:
- Finance employees should access approved finance systems
- External vendors should access only assigned devices
- Contractors should receive time-limited access
- Technicians should receive permissions based on responsibilities
Splashtop Enterprise provides user, group and computer-based permission management through a central administration environment.
4. Separate Employee and Technician Requirements
Employee remote access and IT remote support are different use cases.
Separating these roles helps prevent ordinary users from receiving unnecessary technician-level capabilities.
5. Review Session Logs
Session logs provide visibility into:
- Who initiated a connection
- Which device was accessed
- When the session started
- How long it remained active
- Which authorised account was used
Regular reviews can help identify unusual access patterns.
6. Use IP Restrictions Where Appropriate
Some organisations may need to restrict remote sessions to approved networks or locations.
Enterprise security controls such as IP whitelisting can help enforce this requirement.
7. Remove Inactive Accounts and Devices
Old employee accounts, unused contractors and decommissioned computers should be removed promptly.
Access reviews should be conducted regularly rather than only during initial deployment.
8. Train Employees
Employees should know:
- How to identify legitimate IT support requests
- Never to share access codes with unknown callers
- How to end an attended support session
- How to report suspicious activity
- Why personal remote-access tools may be prohibited
Build a More Secure Remote Access Environment
Technology alone cannot secure remote access.
Organisations need the appropriate product, correctly configured permissions, strong authentication, documented policies and ongoing access reviews.
Talk to BINTARA about designing a secure Splashtop remote access environment.