Think back to before pre-2020, when the ability to work from home was something reserved as a special perk for few employees. That seemingly changed overnight; a remote or hybrid workforce has become a norm for many companies. According to Zippia, a career search platform, in 2018, 5.7% of American workers worked remotely. This crept up to 22.4% in 2019 and then to 41.7% in 2020. By 2022 the number had settled at about 26%.
Remote work is here to stay, with 15% of U.S. companies offering remote positions, Zippia’s survey found. Further, 16% of U.S. companies are now fully remote.
With more workers working from afar, however, comes increased challenges in managing devices, security, and more.
One solution that is helping businesses is Microsoft Intune. Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution. It manages user access and simplifies app and device management across many devices, including mobile devices, desktop computers and virtual endpoints.
Protect access and data on organization-owned and users’ personal devices. And, Intune has compliance and reporting features that support a Zero Trust security model.
According to Microsoft, “endpoints are physical devices that connect to a network system such as mobile devices, desktop computers, virtual machines, embedded devices and servers.”
Cybercriminals target these endpoints. Another way to define an endpoint is to think of each as a doorway, and these doorways are how cybercriminals get into networks to access corporate data. Common endpoint security risks include phishing, ransomware and malware.
If you’re thinking your company is too small to be targeted for a data breach, think again. A hacker can get to a much larger company by going through your systems first. The Cost of Data Breach report from IBM found that the average cost of data breaches in 2022 was $9.04 million per breach.
Picture trying to throw a net over all the devices being used by employees to access company data – personal phones, laptops and more. It becomes clear quickly how big and complicated endpoint management and tracking can be.
Microsoft Intune, already built into Microsoft 365, aims to cut down on the costs and complexities of managing these devices. It allows your IT team to see the compliance and security status of all devices in real time.
Intune’s sister application, Autopilot, works with Intune as it sets up and pre-configures new devices.
Some key features of Intune are:
We get it. Working from home or elsewhere allows your team more flexibility and work-life balance.
Sikich can help you install Autopilot and pair it with Intune. Once you join these solutions with Azure Active Directory, a fully cloud-based device management solution for the modern hybrid workforce will be at your fingertips.
Our Modern Workplace services support these needs, wherever your team works. Contact Sikich today to start the conversation.
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