The number of reported phishing scams have been on a sharp rise. Most tech experts attribute this to how the coronavirus pandemic has seen more people choosing to work remotely. Most companies were ill-prepared for such a mass-exodus and hastily moved to the cloud, with few security contingencies.
According to this study, 30% of IT security specialists agree with this assessment. It’s also clear that most IT departments rose to such a challenge by deploying untested generic solutions for secure remote access.
Sure, generic solutions get the job done. But, they don’t afford companies and their staff the same protection as on-site security contingencies. Thanks to this pandemic, remote work has become the standard. And, it might remain so for the foreseeable future.
So now, the conversation has shifted to finding a way to reduce systemic vulnerabilities.
Enter Cisco Umbrella and Duo Security Solutions
This killer combination of solutions provides an excellent way to rise to today’s cybersecurity challenges. It helps to think of it as a 2-step process:
Step One: Umbrella blocks all malicious attacks, connections, and suspicious cloud applications before you even establish connections.
Step Two: Duo ensures that only the verified users can access company applications. It does so by using MFA protocols (Multifactor Authentication)
Such a combination ensures that only remote workers with company-issued devices and security credentials can access vital company data and applications. This Effectively blocks any unverified connections to cloud solutions.
Such measures offer an immediate and cost-effective solution to ransomware, phishing, and other opportunistic attacks from unverified connections.
How Does Cisco Umbrella Secure DNS Layers?
Umbrella provides a secure gateway for internet connections. It adds DNS layer protection to all connections. Such links include but are not limited to direct-to-IP, protocols, and all ports. This is how Umbrella works:
- A user enters a URL or clicks on a link.
- Umbrella immediately launches a DNS request before connecting to the user-requested domain.
- If the connection is suspicious, Umbrella blocks it and routes the user to safety.
This works better than merely proxying all traffic, which significantly affects the performance of your broadband. This also works when on compromised devices. In essence, Umbrella adds a secure internet gateway, CASB (cloud access security broker), and a cloud-based firewall that prevents future attacks.
Duo: Why Should Two-Step Authentication Be the New Standard?
These days, cyber attackers have tools that make passwords a weak protective measure. Duo eliminates such threats with a simple two-step authentication process.
It works even when a user steals your passwords since it’s based on a zero-trust model. Such a model limits access to data and applications to users that have the right security credentials. It assumes that any attempted connection that fails the security check is a malicious actor.
Best of all, Duo is easy to use and has an intuitive dashboard that allows you to secure your networks and applications within minutes.
It’s Essential to Empower All Users
An Umbrella-Duo combination is an easy-to-deploy contingency that keeps remote workers safe. However, it won’t solve all your security challenges overnight. Hackers have switched their focus from exploiting software and hardware flaws to “humanware.”
Therefore, Comprehensive cyber-security is pegged on employee awareness and vigilance. It’s just as essential to educate and train users as it is investing in the latest technology.
Reach out to us today to find out more about the benefits of Cisco Umbrella-Duo security contingency strategies. We also have employee empowerment programs that could help your organization migrate into a remote work environment.
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