Hosted desktops help secure remote workers

Remote work may have helped keep some businesses alive during the pandemic, but implementing it does have consequences. One particularly worrisome risk of remote work is how it can make your business more susceptible to different cyberthreats. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to protect your data. One of these is by using hosted desktops.

What is a hosted desktop?

Imagine if you could access the very desktop you use in the office — including the apps you use for work — anytime and anywhere with an internet connection, using your personal laptop or mobile device. That’s exactly what hosted desktops enable you to do.
 
With a hosted desktop solution, your desktop's operating system (OS) and work apps aren’t actually installed on your personal devices.  Rather, your OS and apps are hosted in the cloud or another server and comprise a virtualized copy of your actual desktop. This virtualized copy is called your hosted desktop, and a cloud or on-premises server may hold hosted desktops of other users as well. Users can access their respective hosted desktops on any internet-connected device using a browser or a dedicated application.

What are the security benefits of hosted desktops?

Most discussions on the upsides of hosted desktops focus on how they provide users with greater flexibility, efficiency, and convenience, but the solution has much to offer in terms of security too. With many businesses likely adopting virtual office setups — whether fully or partially — to support remote work during the post-COVID era, there is growing concern about cybersecurity risks and the strategies to mitigate these. Incidentally, implementing hosted desktops are among the best of these strategies, for the following reasons:

Hosted desktops are copies of compliant systems

It takes a lot of time and money to keep your IT system well-equipped to weather cyberthreats. If your company uses 20 computers, for instance, you’ll have to spend on anti-malware software, firewalls, and other security solutions for all of those units. What’s more, you may even have to hire additional personnel to handle maintenance and repair, and keep your software patched. As all these can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars every month, you may feel tempted to cut corners and skip one or two crucial security measures.
 
With hosted desktops, as long as you keep the actual desktop patched and compliant with security standards, then all virtual workspace copies being accessed by your employees will be secure as well. You’ll also save plenty of resources as you’ll only be paying for tools and updates for one desktop.

Data is not stored in the devices used to access it

If your staff use their personal laptop or smartphone to perform their tasks, then you are at a high risk of suffering a data breach should they lose their devices. Anyone who obtains these devices may just mine them for any sensitive corporate information.
 
When you access a hosted desktop with your laptop, no data is stored in your device. All data storage and processing tasks are handled and performed in the servers where the desktop is hosted. This means that even if your device were lost or compromised, hackers won’t be able to access data in the virtual workspace unless they have the right credentials.

Your IT team has greater access control

Although you can impose policies regarding how your staff members protect their respective office desktops, there’s no telling whether they’re really following your guidelines to the letter. Irresponsible behavior, such as poor password habits, still cause a large bulk of data breaches today.
 
Hosted desktops give your IT team a large degree of control over who can access your virtual workspaces and how these are accessed. For instance, your IT department can be selective and allow only users who use a virtual private network to gain access to your business’s systems. Risky devices and endpoints can also be isolated to prevent them from threatening the virtual desktop.
 
Whether or not you have a remote team, hosted desktops could be an ideal solution for protecting your business’s apps and data. At SimplyClouds, we can help you find a hosted solution that matches your company’s needs. Consult with our experts today.