Securing Remote Work: Network Strategies for a Hybrid Workforce

The hybrid and remote work model is no longer a contingency-it’s now standard for many organisations. According to recent data, nearly 24% of new job postings in Q2 2025 were hybrid, and 12% fully remote. As employees connect from home networks, café Wi‑Fi, edge sites and mobile environments, the traditional network perimeter dissolves and security teams must rethink how to defend everywhere‑access to corporate and industrial systems.

For organisations managing both enterprise IT and industrial/OT networks, this shift is especially challenging. Remote access isn’t just about email and CRM anymore-it’s also about SCADA consoles, IIoT gateways, engineering workstations and vendor sessions. Without strong network strategies, hybrid work becomes a major attack surface.

In this blog for CyberSec Magazine, we’ll explore why securing the hybrid workforce is more complex than ever, break down the key network risks in 2025, and walk through actionable strategies tailored for both IT and OT/ICS environments. The goal is to provide you with a practical blueprint to protect your network while maintaining flexibility and performance.

1. The Background: Why Network Security for Hybrid Work Must Evolve

1.1 Hybrid work is here to stay

Industry research shows the rise of flexible and remote work is no longer a temporary phase. In the UK survey of hybrid working practices for 2025, 91% of organisations offer some form of flexible working arrangement. Meanwhile, as remote/hybrid work grows, the attack surface expands: more endpoints, more networks, more connections outside the traditional corporate firewall.

1.2 Legacy perimeters no longer suffice

Traditional network‑security models assumed a clear perimeter: the corporate LAN, VPN for remote users, and hardened firewalls at the edge. In a hybrid model, the perimeter dissolves. Employees and devices connect from unknown networks, and OT systems in remote plants may be accessed via vendor VPNs or cloud gateways. With this shift, network security must adapt from “inside the fence” to “all connections are untrusted until verified”.

1.3 OT/ICS adds complexity

For organisations in industrial sectors, hybrid work isn’t just office‑based-it extends to remote operators, field engineers, vendor access, IIoT edge devices and OT/ICS networks. These environments bring constraints: availability matters, legacy devices may not support modern agents, and the network topology may be segmented differently. Standard corporate network strategies must be expanded to consider OT/ICS realities.

2. Network Risks in the Hybrid Workforce Era

Here are some of the most pressing network risks organisations face when supporting remote or hybrid work in 2025:

2.1 Untrusted networks and devices

Remote work means employees may connect via home WiFi, public hotspots, mobile networks or shared coworking spaces. According to a remote work security guide for 2025, compromised home networks and unsecured connections remain major threats. Personal or unmanaged devices are often used, and they may lack enterprise‑grade security controls.

2.2 Expanded attack surface for IT and OT systems

Hybrid access can enable lateral movement: an attacker compromises a remote user’s device, then hops into IT resources, and from there into OT/ICS networks. In industrial environments, such movement can lead to physical disruption, production downtime or safety incidents. As one article notes, hybrid work has expanded the attack surface into previously secure zones.

2.3 Legacy VPNs, weak access controls and vendor connectivity

Many organisations provision VPN access for remote users or vendors without re‑thinking modern access controls. A VPN gives network‑level trust but lacks granular identity, device compliance and behavioural monitoring. With hybrid and remote access growing, simply relying on legacy VPNs is insufficient. Remote vendors especially may bypass standard corporate monitoring.

2.4 Compliance and data‑flow visibility challenges

Hybrid workers often access cloud apps, SaaS platforms or on‑premises systems via varied networks and devices. This makes monitoring, logging, auditing and compliance more complex. A 2025 guide for remote‑work strategies emphasises that visibility across hybrid environments is vital. For OT/ICS, regulatory frameworks often demand segmentation, audit trails and vendor‑session logging that many hybrid network strategies overlook.

2.5 Human behaviour and endpoint risks

Employees working remotely face distractions, family interruptions, multiple devices, and less direct supervision. Phishing attacks, credential reuse, unsecured home devices and weak passwords remain top threats. One study noted that human error contributes to nearly all major breaches in hybrid work contexts.

3. Foundational Network Strategies to Secure a Hybrid Workforce

To address these risks, organisations should adopt a layered network strategy tailored for remote/hybrid access. Below are foundational elements you must implement.

3.1 Embrace Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

Zero Trust is no longer optional-it’s the backbone of hybrid work network security. According to guidance from Microsoft, securing remote and hybrid work with Zero Trust means continuous verification of users, devices and sessions across the lifecycle: define strategy, plan, ready, adopt and govern.
Key actions:

• Verify identity and device compliance for every access attempt.
• Grant least‑privilege access: only the resources a user needs, for the time needed.
• Monitor sessions continuously (not just at login).
• Assume breach: network segments and endpoints must all be treated as potential risk.

3.2 Secure Access via SASE and Edge Network Architecture

The Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architecture addresses hybrid work by bringing network and security controls into the cloud and closer to users, regardless of location. In 2025, hybrid workforce security guides point to SASE as a key enabler for secure remote access.
Benefits include:

• Enforced policies at the edge (remote/branch/edge site) rather than backhauling traffic to central data centres.
• Consistent user experience and control whether user is working from home, office or mobile.
• Integrated capabilities: cloud‑delivered firewall, secure web gateway, CASB, ZTNA in one platform.

3.3 Network Segmentation & Micro‑Segmentation for Hybrid Access

Even with identity and device checks, network segmentation remains critical-especially for hybrid and OT/ICS networks. Consider:

• Segment remote access to a dedicated DMZ‑jump host or vendor access zone.
• Use micro‑segmentation inside OT/ICS networks so vendor/remote sessions are isolated from critical control systems.
• Apply network policies in SASE or next‑gen firewall to enforce segmentation and restrict lateral movement of remote users.

3.4 Strong Endpoint & Device Compliance Management

Hybrid work means endpoints (laptops, tablets, BYOD mobile devices) connect outside corporate networks. Key network strategy steps:

• Ensure endpoint protection (EDR/XDR) and device compliance before network access.
• Use Mobile Device Management (MDM) / Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) to enforce security posture.
• Integrate device posture into network‑access decisions (via ZTNA) so only compliant devices gain access.

3.5 Securing Remote Access for Vendors & Field Engineers

Remote/field access is especially prevalent in industrial/OT networks. Network strategy must account for vendor and third‑party sessions:

• Use jump hosts or dedicated vendor‑access gateways with strict time‑bound, least‑privilege access.
• Monitor the entire vendor session: logging, video‑recording, privilege activity tracking.
• Apply network segmentation so vendor access does not share the same segment as control systems.

3.6 Visibility, Monitoring & Threat Detection Across Hybrid Networks

Network strategy is incomplete without continuous monitoring and analytics:

• Use network traffic analytics that work across home/office/edge connections.
• Monitor for lateral movement, unusual protocol usage, suspicious remote session behaviour-especially into OT/ICS segments.
• Use behavioural baselining and anomaly detection for remote access patterns (connection time, IP/geolocation, device type).
• Integrate logs from network gateways, ZTNA, SASE and remote‑access brokers into a central SIEM or XDR solution for holistic view.

3.7 Employee Education, Policies & Secure Home Networks

Network security strategies must also address the human and home‑network layer:

• Provide remote‑work security training tailored for hybrid workforces (how to secure home‑WiFi, use VPN, recognise phishing).
• Define policies for BYOD, acceptable device use, home‑network security and remote‑access behaviour.
• Encourage or provide secure home‑work‑network standards (e.g., dedicated work SSID, router firmware updates, network segmentation at home).

4. Blueprint for Implementing a Hybrid Workforce Network Strategy

Let’s walk through a practical step‑by‑step blueprint your organisation can follow:

Step 1: Map Remote Access Landscape & Risk

• Inventory all remote access points: home offices, public WiFi, mobile, branch/edge sites, field engineers, vendor access.
• Identify what resources are accessed remotely: enterprise applications, OT/ICS systems, vendor gateways, cloud services.
• Assess risks associated with each access path (device type, network location, vendor vs employee, criticality of accessed system).

Step 2: Define Segmentation and Access Zones

• Create logical zones: remote user zone, vendor access zone, branch/edge site zone, OT/ICS zone.
• Define network policies per zone: what resources can be accessed, what constraints exist, what controls must apply (MFA, device posture checks).
• Establish micro‑segmentation inside sensitive zones (e.g., OT network) to restrict lateral movement from remote endpoints.

Step 3: Implement Access Controls & Identity Management

• Deploy identity‑and‑access management (IAM) integrated with multi‑factor authentication (MFA) for remote access.
• Leverage ZTNA or modern VPN alternatives to enforce device posture, location, behaviour checks.
• Ensure vendor access is isolated, time‑bound, and subject to monitoring/logging.

Step 4: Upgrade Network Architecture (SASE, Edge, Cloud)

• Adopt a SASE model: move security enforcement closer to users, not just at central data centre.
• Deploy cloud‑delivered firewalls/secure web gateways for remote users, edge sites and mobile locations.
• Ensure consistent policies whether users access from home, office or mobile device.

Step 5: Deploy Monitoring and Detection Capabilities

• Install network sensors/gateways in remote‑access paths and edge sites; collect logs centrally.
• Use network behaviour analytics (NBA) and anomaly detection to detect remote session oddities (unusual login locations, device changes, lateral traffic).
• Integrate remote‑access logs with SIEM/XDR solutions: correlate device posture, identity logs, network flows.
• Run periodic penetration tests focused on remote/hybrid access ecosystem.

Step 6: Educate Workforce & Enforce Policies

• Conduct remote‑work security awareness campaigns: home‑WiFi security, device hygiene, phishing, secure video‑calls.
• Define and enforce BYOD policies: devices allowed, security requirements, access rules.
• Provide guidance and tooling for secure home networks (recommendations for router settings, segmented home WiFi, firmware updates).

Step 7: Measure, Review & Adapt Continuously

• Define KPIs: number of remote vendor sessions monitored, device‑posture failures, lateral‑movement events from remote endpoints, mean time to detect remote access anomalies.
• Regularly review remote‑access logs, policy compliance, vendor‑session audits and hybrid‑work network architecture.
• Adapt policies and architecture as hybrid‑work trends evolve (new devices, new locations, new threat models).

5. What Network Strategy Must Cover in OT/ICS Hybrid Environments

When your hybrid workforce includes OT/ICS domains (remote engineering access, IIoT devices, vendor field engineers), the network strategy has additional layers to consider:

• Remote access into OT systems must be strictly segmented and monitored: vendor sessions should not share network segments with control systems.
• Legacy devices in OT may not support modern agents-network controls and passive monitoring become more critical.
• Network policies should consider availability and safety constraints: remote access must not disrupt control‑system latency or operations.
• Visibility must cover both IT and OT networks: monitoring remote sessions into both environments and detecting lateral movement across IT→OT boundaries.
• Edge/IIoT sites (remote plants, substations, field sensors) often connect via weaker networks-apply consistent ZTNA, device posture validation and network encryption.
• Ensure remote access solutions into OT have robust access‑control, session recording, jump hosts and isolation for vendor/contractor connections.

6. Emerging Network Strategies and Trends for 2025 and Beyond

As we proceed, here are key trends shaping hybrid‑work network strategies:

• AI/ML‑driven network anomaly detection: Remote access patterns are complex and variable; machine‑learning models increasingly help detect unusual remote behaviour, device anomalies and lateral movement.
• Integration of Zero Trust and SASE: The convergence of identity, device posture, network access and cloud enforcement into unified platforms is accelerating.
• Edge and location‑agnostic enforcement: Network controls are moving into branch/edge sites, home offices and mobile devices rather than only in central data centres.
• Remote‑access ecosystems including BYOD, shadow IT and multi‑cloud: The number of devices, apps and platforms that hybrid workers use increases; network strategy must accommodate and secure all.
• Vendor/third‑party access as standardised process: Field engineers, contractors and remote vendors are now regular users of the network. Network strategy must include their access lifecycle, monitoring and segmentation.
• Process‑aware monitoring in OT contexts: As industrial hybrid work evolves, anomaly detection will include process‑variable monitoring, not just network flows.
• Continuous testing of remote‑access infrastructure: Regular penetration testing against remote/hybrid access ecosystems becomes an established best practice.

7. Key Takeaways for Network Security Practitioners

• Hybrid and remote work expands the network perimeter-not shrinks it. Defences must shift from perimeters to every endpoint and access point.
• Zero Trust, SASE, micro‑segmentation, device posture enforcement and continuous monitoring form the core network strategy components for hybrid work.
• Endpoint and device compliance is critical: network access without device security is a gateway for attackers.
• For OT/ICS networks, remote access adds extra risk: vendor sessions, field engineers, legacy devices and availability constraints demand tailored network controls.
• Visibility, analytics and behavioural monitoring are no longer optional-they’re required to detect lateral movement, remote‑session misuse and device anomalies.
• Human factors matter: employee training, home‑network guidance and BYOD policies form the foundation of secure remote access.
• Network strategy is a continuous journey: adapt to evolving work models, technologies and threat landscapes.

Conclusion

Securing remote and hybrid workforces in 2025 requires more than just granting VPN access and hoping for the best. The network strategy must evolve: embracing Zero Trust, enforcing device and access policies, segmenting networks, deploying SASE, monitoring remote sessions, and extending controls into OT/ICS environments. For organisations operating across IT and industrial domains, this layered network approach is no longer a competitive advantage-it’s a business imperative.

At CyberSec Magazine, we believe that security for hybrid work is not about restricting flexibility-it’s about enabling it safely. By adopting sophisticated network strategies aligned with today’s hybrid reality, you can protect your operations, empower your workforce, and stay ahead of emerging threats. If you’re looking to benchmark your hybrid‑work network architecture or design a tailored strategy, we’re here to help.