SASE, ZTNA, and Beyond: The Future of Remote Work Cybersecurity
The world of work has undergone a seismic shift. What was once a perk has now become the norm – remote work. As organizations continue to embrace distributed teams, cloud applications, and flexible work environments, the cyber threat landscape has also transformed dramatically. The new normal has ushered in a host of challenges for IT leaders, with security sitting at the top of the list.
Recent incidents, such as the high-profile breach of an Australian Superannuation Fund, underscore the growing risks faced by organizations handling sensitive data in decentralized environments. This breach not only exposed personal and financial information but also highlighted vulnerabilities in cloud-based infrastructures increasingly used to support remote operations.
Additional incidents have only added urgency to the issue. In March 2025, the Rubrik cloud log server breach exposed sensitive logs and triggered emergency key rotations across clients. Meanwhile, Oracle Cloud suffered a breach affecting over 6 million records, reinforcing the need for robust controls in SaaS and IaaS environments. These incidents serve as reminders that remote-friendly cloud systems are often soft targets for attackers.
In this blog, we explore the evolving cybersecurity threats in the age of remote work and share strategies for building a secure, compliant, and scalable remote work infrastructure. From SASE to ZTNA to endpoint protection, here’s what every security-minded leader should know.
Rise of Remote Work Cyber Threats
Earlier this year, Medusa ransomware attacks crippled several education and medical institutions, using double extortion tactics to paralyze remote teams and exfiltrate sensitive data. Such attacks thrive in decentralized setups, where inconsistent endpoint security and cloud misconfigurations leave major gaps for exploitation.
Remote work has expanded the attack surface for cybercriminals. The home environment is rarely as secure as the office network, and attackers know it. The following are among the most prevalent threats:
Worried your remote workforce might be exposed to unseen threats?
VPN vs. ZTNA: Which Secures Remote Access Better?
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have long been the go-to for remote access, but they come with limitations. VPNs create a tunnel into the corporate network, often granting more access than necessary and increasing the risk of lateral movement.
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) offers a more granular and secure alternative. It enforces identity-based access controls and verifies users and devices before granting application-specific access. Unlike VPNs, ZTNA is designed with the assumption that the network is already compromised.
ZTNA Advantages Over VPNs:
While VPNs still have a role, organizations should consider phasing toward ZTNA for
long-term remote security.
Endpoint Security and BYOD Risks
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies offer flexibility but come with serious risks. When employees use personal laptops, smartphones, or tablets for work, organizations lose visibility and control over those endpoints.
Key challenges:
Mitigation strategies:
Need a plan to secure personal devices in your workforce?
Compliance Challenges with Remote Work
As highlighted by the Toronto Zoo breach, even non-profit or public-facing organizations are now prime targets. The leak of two decades’ worth of visitor data emphasized the importance of consistent privacy controls, even for seemingly low-risk environments. GDPR and HIPAA compliance frameworks must evolve to account for this shift.
Compliance doesn’t stop when the office closes. In fact, remote work introduces new complexities for meeting data protection and privacy requirements:
To stay compliant, organizations need:
Unsure if your remote work model meets compliance standards?
How Datafy Can Help
At Datafy, we understand the risks and complexities of securing remote work environments. Our tailored cybersecurity solutions are designed to protect your workforce while maintaining performance and compliance.
Our offerings include:
Datafy equips your organization with a holistic strategy for secure and scalable remote work.
Final Thoughts
Remote work isn’t going anywhere, and neither are the cybersecurity risks that come with it. Organizations must evolve their security strategies to address the reality of distributed teams, personal devices, and cloud-centric workflows.
By adopting solutions like SASE, ZTNA, and endpoint protection – and working with a trusted partner like Datafy – businesses can stay resilient, compliant, and confident in the age of remote work.