The traditional security perimeter has been eroding for decades. But as security teams have diligently layered on VPNs, endpoint security, cloud security tools and identity and access management (IAM) suites to secure distributed workforces and enable anytime-anywhere connectivity, they’ve overlooked and underestimated the most fundamental element: identity proofing. Weak or easily compromised credentials and identity-proofing processes present significant vulnerabilities in remote work scenarios — and, really, every modern work application. In fact, compromised credentials now account for three in four successful cyberattacks, according to findings from CrowdStrike. Certainty that users are who they claim must be prioritized as the bedrock of remote work security. Organizations have invested heavily in the aforementioned tools to facilitate and secure remote work. Yet, the initial step of verifying a remote worker’s identity is often less robust than in traditional office settings. Relying on outdated methods for onboarding remote workers and provisioning access can introduce significant risks. And if the initial identity verification is flawed, every subsequent layer of security built upon that shaky foundation becomes less effective — and can provide a dangerously false sense of security. Consider the typical remote onboarding process: Without the ability to physical verify identity documents, organizations often rely on digital submissions that can easily be manipulated. This creates an opportunity for malicious actors to impersonate legitimate employees — or even infiltrate the remote workforce with synthetic identities from the outset. Once a fraudulent or compromised identity gains access to a remote work environment, the potential for lateral movement and data breaches increases dramatically. Remote workers often have access to a wide range of company resources, and a threat actor operating under a legitimate-seeming identity can navigate these systems with relative ease, exfiltrating sensitive data or perpetrating further attacks. Most organizations now have sophisticated anomaly detection tools to catch suspicious behaviors. But the nature of remote work (the more variable physical location, device, IP address and access patterns) can undermine that anomaly detection. Moreover, at best, detection is a reactive tool — an endless game of whack-a-mole. The widespread adoption of multi-factor authentication (MFA), single sign-on (SSO) and other “strong authentication” strategies have undoubtedly strengthened enterprise security postures. But strong authentication is not a silver bullet — especially when the underlying identity that’s being authenticated has not been rigorously established in the first place. An identity that is compromised from the start can render even strong authentication virtually useless. For example, a threat actor that has successfully created a synthetic identity (using AI-powered tools now readily available) during remote onboarding will be able to enroll their own MFA methods and easily authenticate from there on out. By Pavin Guduri CYBER PATROL Securing the Distributed Workforce Why robust identity proofing is the unsung hero of remote work security 38 CHANNELVISION | SUMMER 2025
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