Securing Remote Work Environments: Implementing Single Sign-On (SSO) and Remote Access Controls to Mitigate Cyber Threats
Main Article Content
Abstract
In the era of remote work, securing digital environments has become a top priority for organizations globally. One of the most effective ways to mitigate the risks associated with unauthorized access and cyber threats is the implementation of Single Sign-On (SSO) solutions. SSO enables users to access multiple applications with a single set of credentials, simplifying user authentication while enhancing security. This paper explores the role of SSO in securing remote work environments, examining its benefits in terms of reducing password fatigue, enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and providing centralized access control. Additionally, it discusses various types of SSO integrations, including protocols like SAML, OAuth, and OpenID Connect, and the tools available to implement these solutions, such as Okta, Ping Identity, and OneLogin. By streamlining user authentication and improving monitoring capabilities, SSO helps mitigate a variety of cyber threats, from credential theft to insider attacks. As cyber risks continue to evolve, the integration of SSO solutions, paired with best practices in identity and access management, is a crucial step in safeguarding organizational assets and ensuring compliance with security standards.
Downloads
Metrics
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
References
Key Takeaways from the Gallup State of the American Workplace Study. Available : https://getlighthouse.com/blog/gallup-state-of-the-american-workplace-study/
Kaspersky. Cyber Security Risks: Best Practices for Working from Home and Remotely Available : https://usa.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/remote-working-how-to-stay-safe?
Atstāja, Līga, Didzis Rūtītis, Sintija Deruma, and Eduards Aksjoņenko. "Cyber security risks and challenges in remote work under the covid-19 pandemic." European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences (2021).
Tresorit Team. Here’s what you can gain from using Single Sign-On (SSO). Available: https://tresorit.com/blog/heres-what-you-can-gain-from-using-single-sign-on-sso/
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (2020). Zero Trust Architecture. Special Publication 800-207. Available: https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/specialpublications/NIST.SP.800-207.pdf
Okta. (2023). Hybrid Work Report. Okta Report. Available: https://www.okta.com/hybrid-work/resources/hybrid-work-report-2023-thank-you/
Ping Identity. (2023). Identity Security for a Remote Workforce. Available: https://www.pingidentity.com/en/solutions/business-priority/secure-your-workforce.html .
Microsoft. (2022). Secure Remote Work with Azure Active Directory. Retrieved : https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/secure-remote-work .
IBM. (2021). Zero Trust Security: Strengthening Remote Work Security. Available: https://www.ibm.com/zero-trust
Zscaler. (2022). Securing Remote Work with Zero Trust Architecture. Available: https://www.zscaler.com/resources/security-terms-glossary/what-is-secure-remote-access .
Green, M. (2020). Reducing the Risk of Password Fatigue in Cybersecurity. Journal of Cryptography.
Mitnick, K. (2020). Understanding Secure Authentication Protocols. Security Week.
Kindervag, J. (2018). The Zero Trust Model: How It Changes Security. Forrester Research.
Verizon. (2019). 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report. Retrieved from Verizon DBIR 2019
Okta. (2020). 2020 Identity and Access Management Report. Retrieved from https://www.okta.com/blog/2020/06/idsa-report-the-state-of-identity-related-security-in-2020/
Proofpoint. (2019). State of the Phish 2019. Retrieved from https://www.proofpoint.com/us/corporate-blog/post/2019-state-phish-report-attack-rates-rise-account-compromise-soars
Okta, How Much Are Password Resets Costing Your Company?, Available: https://www.okta.com/blog/2019/08/how-much-are-password-resets-costing-your-company/
Okta, Okta Named A Leader In Forrester’s 2021 Identity as a Service for Enterprise Wave. Retrieved from https://www.okta.com/blog/2021/08/okta-named-a-leader-in-forresters-2021-identity-as-a-service-for-enterprise-wavetm/
Ponemon Institute. (2018). Cost of Insider Threats 2018. Retrieved from Ponemon Institute Study
McKinsey & Company. (2020). SSO and Its Role in Compliance. Retrieved from McKinsey Research
Ping Identity. (2020). The Impact of Identity Management on Security. Retrieved from Ping Identity
IBM Security. (2020). Cost of a Data Breach Report. Retrieved from IBM Security
Maxim, Merritt, and Andras Cser with Stephanie Balaouras, Salvatore Schiano, Madeline Cyr, and Peggy Dostie. (2018). Best Practices: Selecting, Deploying, and Managing Enterprise Password Managers. Forrester Research. Retrieved from Forrester
F5 Networks. (2018). The State of Application Delivery Report. Retrieved from F5 Networks