In a recent webinar with Lauren Taggart and Bas Van Goor, security vulnerabilities and best practices were explored in VDI & DaaS deployments. This article is based on the best practices stated at the end of that webinar. If you would like to access this information and more, click below to get sent our full 20 minute webinar-on-demand.
With VDI & DaaS becoming the standard in enterprise IT, the focus of attacks by malicious actors has only increased. IT security teams are in a constant arms race with cybercriminals; in this case, the best offense is a good defense. With the following best practices, IT teams can protect their VDI & DaaS environments against external attacks.
Host checks
Host checks are a vital practice for VDI and DaaS environments. These are essentially checks that VPNs will run on endpoints attempting to connect to the corporate network, vetting them against specific criteria depending on the VPN provider and IT team preferences. This ensures the connecting device will be secure and in an approved location (based on IP).
VPN usage
Endpoint deployments should be using some form of private tunnel by default in 2024; however, it is vitally important in VDI or DaaS environments. Without VPNs, network-based attacks would be difficult to prevent due to the lack of masking of IP or location. Data transferred from an endpoint to a corporate network is traceable and easy to exploit without VPN encryption.
Endpoint security
Endpoint security is a catchall term that describes solutions and practices for securing devices. In most cases, endpoint security solutions are the best way to ensure device lockdown, antivirus, posture checking, session isolation, and more. Without endpoint security being considered, endpoints themselves are prime targets for VDI & DaaS infiltration due to the inherent vulnerabilities that exist on computers.
Network restriction
Network vulnerabilities are one of the most common methods that malicious actors use to infiltrate a virtual environment. This increased rapidly due to the increased uptake in remote working. Public and insecure private networks are common methods malicious actors use to retrieve information or infect unsecured computers. This is why employees should be restricted to using only approved or corporate networks, actively reducing the risk of attacks from unknown networks.
Conclusion
In the evolving landscape of enterprise IT, VDI & DaaS are indispensable tools. However, they are very susceptible to threats. IT security teams must be vigilant against any malicious actors targeting their virtual environments. Essential practices like host checking, VPN integration, endpoint security tools, and network restriction form the foundation of any modern IT deployment defense. By adhering to these practices, IT teams can bolster the resilience of their VDI & DaaS environments and thwart malicious incursions, ensuring the integrity of corporate networks.
