According to a 2022 Data Breach Investigations report, cyber criminals are increasingly targeting individuals and their devices. In fact, 82% of data breaches involve some human element like phishing, stolen credentials, or human error. While cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated, the data also points to the weakness of many remote support tools in protecting against cyber threats. An IDG study commissioned by GoTo found that:

• 68% of it leaders say their organizations are highly concerned about the possibility of a data breach, and
• 82% of them consider it “challenging” to avoid cyber threats with current technology

With the help of GoTo's Sam Armstrong (Senior Solutions Consultant) and Marie Ruzzo (Director, Product Marketing), this blog post will describe some common support tool vulnerabilities and how Rescue is purpose-built to safeguard remote support while preventing cyberattacks.  

Vulnerability + Cyber Threats = Need for Rescue 

As a result of the widespread adoption of remote/hybrid work models and expanded BYOD (bring your own device) policies, businesses are now more vulnerable than ever to cyber threats, which are becoming more numerous and sophisticated. While some organizations have turned to meeting tools to deliver remote support, meeting tools simply weren’t designed for remote support and lack the security features required to combat growing cyber threats. 

Simply put, tools repurposed for remote support, like meeting tools, aren’t scalable, aren’t flexible, aren’t purpose-built for the job, and aren’t secure enough for preventing cyberattacks. Rescue is.

4 Security Requirements for Remote Support 

If the solution you’re using for support isn’t delivering the four security requirements listed below, it’s time to rethink and reevaluate. The sooner the better.  

1. Robust administration

Rescue allows admins to have 100% control over everything their agents can and can’t do during remote support sessions, including who they can connect to. Rescue gives a support agent administrative access to a remote machine to resolve issues, an audit trail, and reporting. 

“Administration capabilities are such an important aspect for ensuring that users have the proper access and controls,” says Ruzzo. “You want to ensure that your agents have access to only what’s needed to get the job done, making sure you can manage your agents and provide full permission-based functionality.”  

Meeting tools have been used as a ‘quick and dirty’ band-aid solution for remote support during the pandemic, “but now it’s a year and a half later and companies are identifying significant security gaps. Rescue offers a purpose-built and secure long-term solution,” explains Armstrong.  

2. Secure connection methods

Remote support sessions should never represent an open door for some malicious actor to walk through. Fortunately, Rescue provides tools that enable you to block malicious actors from connecting to your employees and to your customers in a variety of ways, so you can connect with end users in a highly secure manner.  

Six secure connection methods: 

• Self-hosted PIN page 
• Company PIN code validation
• Domain validation 
• Restricted IP access
• Restricted access package 
• Restricted domain access

“All of these secure connection methods are 100% included with the cost of Rescue,” says Armstrong, “something our competition simply can’t claim.” 

3. Data protection

With vulnerabilities created by remote work, along with more users accessing data on their own devices, and more aggressive cyberattacks, data protection has never been more important. 

“Every Rescue account can use single sign–on as an authentication method, and also offers two factor authentication using LastPass,” says Armstrong. “We also maintain the industry standard level of encryption: 256-bit AES encryption, viewed by many as impenetrable.” 

4. Compliance

Compliance capabilities will only become more important as more data privacy regulations and restrictions emerge.  

“Rescue is designed as a tool that captures only the information it needs to capture,” says Armstrong. “We have many customers who have come to Rescue because of our ability to remove any PII (personally identifiable info) or PHI (personal health info). We have controls to ensure GDPR and HIPAA compliance.”   

Avoiding Nightmare Scenarios with Rescue

Can your remote support solution prevent malicious actors from tricking employees or customers into a support session? Rescue provides those guardrails. Company validation ensures that end users are only able to be supported by your agents and no other Rescue users. Larger enterprise organizations can leverage enterprise domain, which effectively allows them to block all public logging and Rescue URLs.  

“Malicious actors tricking end users into a support session is a nightmare scenario,” says Armstrong, “but with Rescue, you’re protected against those nightmares.” 

Try Rescue for free.