Remote access is any connection made to an organization’s internal network and systems from an external source by a device or host. Remote access can enable greater worker flexibility and productivity, but it also poses significant security risks, such as unauthorized access, data leakage, malware infection, or network compromise. Therefore, it is important to evaluate a third party’s use of remote access within their information security policy, which should define the roles, responsibilities, standards, and procedures for remote access.
One of the key components of evaluating a third party’s use of remote access within their information security policy is identifying the use of multifactor authentication. Multifactor authentication is a method of verifying the identity of a remote user by requiring two or more factors, such as something the user knows (e.g., password, PIN), something the user has (e.g., token, smart card), or something the user is (e.g., fingerprint, face). Multifactor authentication enhances the security of remote access by making it harder for attackers to impersonate or compromise legitimate users. According to the NIST Guide to Enterprise Telework, Remote Access, and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Security1, multifactor authentication should be used for all remote access, especially for high-risk situations, such as accessing sensitive data or privileged accounts.
The other options are not components of evaluating a third party’s use of remote access within their information security policy. Maintaining blocked IP address ranges, reviewing the testing and deployment procedures to networking components, and providing guidelines to configuring ports on a router are all examples of network security controls, but they are not specific to remote access. They may be part of the overall information security policy, but they are not sufficient to assess the security of remote access. References:
NIST Guide to Enterprise Telework, Remote Access, and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Security
How to Implement an Effective Remote Access Policy
Why Managing Third-Party Access Requires A Better Approach
