Most companies don’t “choose” an insecure remote work setup.
They inherit one.
It starts innocently:
- “We rolled out a VPN.”
- “Everyone uses MFA… I think.”
- “We only allow company laptops… mostly.”
- “We’ve got antivirus.”
Then one day you learn your “remote work setup” is actually:
- A CFO logging in from a personal laptop “just this once”
- A home router still using the default admin password
- A remote access tool installed for support… that no one is monitoring
- Admin logins that work from anywhere, any time, with no device checks
And in 2026, that combination is exactly what attackers count on.
This post gives you a practical, non-theoretical remote work security audit you can run in a morning—plus a prioritized fix list that doesn’t require boiling the ocean.
Why this audit matters more in 2026
Remote work security used to mean “secure the connection.”
In 2026, it means “secure the identity, the device, the data, and the vendor connections”—because your perimeter isn’t an office anymore.
A few reality checks shaping security planning right now:
- 44% of cybersecurity breaches involved ransomware (Verizon DBIR highlights). IT Services
- Third-party involvement in breaches doubled (15% → 30%), meaning vendors, support tools, and outsourced access are now first-class risks. IT Services
- Remote access tooling is increasingly abused because it can look “normal.” CISA’s guidance notes remote access software is used legitimately—but threat actors co-opt it to establish connections and evade detection. CISA
- “Trusting the network” is outdated. NIST describes Zero Trust as shifting defense away from static perimeters to focusing on users, assets, and resources. NIST Computer Security Resource Center
So, if your remote model still assumes “inside the VPN = trusted,” you’re auditing the right thing at the right time.
The 10-minute reality check: answer these honestly
Give yourself 1 point for each “Yes.” (No judgment—this is meant to reveal priorities.)
- Every user has MFA on email, VPN/remote access, and business-critical apps.
- Admins use separate admin accounts (not the same account they use for email).
- Devices are encrypted (FileVault/BitLocker) and have remote wipe enabled.
- Patch compliance is enforced (not “best effort”).
- Endpoint protection includes EDR-level visibility (not just basic AV).
- No one has local admin by default (especially remote users).
- Remote access tools are inventoried and monitored (and tightly controlled).
- Cloud app sharing is controlled (not “anyone with link can access”).
- Logs and alerts are centralized (not spread across 6 consoles nobody checks).
- You have an incident response playbook for remote endpoints and account takeover.
Score interpretation
- 0–3: You’re operating on trust and luck.
- 4–7: You’re doing several things right, but gaps are likely “incident-shaped.”
- 8–10: Strong baseline—now focus on consistency, vendor access, and monitoring depth.
Now let’s do the full audit.
The 2026 Remote Work Security Audit
6 pillars, the most common gaps, and what “good” looks like
Pillar 1: Identity and access
Goal: Nobody gets in based only on a password—or based only on being “remote.”
Audit checks
- MFA everywhere (email, remote access, SaaS, admin portals)
- Conditional access rules (risk-based login controls)
- Least privilege (users have only what they need)
- Separate admin accounts + privileged access controls
- Offboarding within hours, not days
Common 2026 failure mode
MFA exists… except for:
- legacy email protocols
- “temporary exceptions”
- VPN admin panels
- a few “we’ll fix it later” apps
Quick wins (this week)
- Enforce MFA universally and remove legacy auth
- Disable risky login paths and require modern authentication
- Require stronger controls for admin access (step-up authentication)
Deeper wins (this quarter)
- Move toward Zero Trust principles: access decisions based on identity + context + device posture, not location. NIST Computer Security Resource Center
Pillar 2: Device posture (endpoints)
Goal: Every device accessing company data is managed, patched, and monitored—especially offsite.
Audit checks
- Central device management (MDM/RMM) for all laptops
- Full-disk encryption + screen lock policies
- Patch SLAs (example: critical updates within X days)
- EDR/managed endpoint security with alert triage
- “No local admin” by default
- USB/storage controls where appropriate
Common 2026 failure mode
“You can’t secure what you can’t see.”
Teams often have unknown endpoints accessing:
- Teams/Slack
- Google Drive/OneDrive
- CRM portals
Quick wins (this week)
- Inventory all endpoints with access to corporate apps
- Block unmanaged devices from sensitive apps (or require browser-only access with restrictions)
Deeper wins (this quarter)
- Standardize endpoint baselines (config, patch policy, EDR response playbooks)
Pillar 3: Network + remote access (VPN, ZTNA, and the coffee shop problem)
Goal: Remote connectivity is secure and hardened like the critical entry point it is.
Audit checks
- Is VPN required? If yes: is it hardened and monitored?
- Are VPN devices patched aggressively and features minimized?
- Do you limit what users can reach once connected (segmentation)?
- Do you protect users on untrusted networks (DNS security, device firewall)?
- Do you have a plan for “hotel/coffee shop Wi‑Fi”?
Why “we have a VPN” isn’t automatically “we’re secure”
NSA/CISA guidance emphasizes VPN gateways are targets because they’re entry points, and recommends reducing attack surface, using strong authentication (including MFA/cert-based options), applying patches quickly, and logging/monitoring access. Defense Media
Common 2026 failure mode
- VPN has “everything enabled,” including web admin interfaces exposed
- Split-tunnel decisions made for convenience with no compensating controls
- No meaningful monitoring of VPN logins or anomalies
Quick wins (this week)
- Enforce MFA for VPN
- Patch VPN infrastructure immediately and continuously
- Disable non-essential VPN features and restrict management access
Deeper wins (this quarter)
- Evaluate Zero Trust-style access patterns (per-app access, device posture checks) instead of “network = trusted.” NIST Computer Security Resource Center
Pillar 4: Remote access software and “support tools”
Goal: Legitimate remote tools can’t become an attacker’s stealth channel.
This is the blind spot many teams miss in remote setups: the tools used for IT support and vendor access.
CISA’s guide highlights that remote access software is often not flagged as malicious and can be abused by threat actors to establish connections while evading detection. CISA
Audit checks
- Do you have an inventory of remote access tools (RMM, remote desktop, support agents)?
- Is unattended access restricted and approval-based?
- Are sessions logged (who connected, from where, what actions)?
- Are tools restricted by allowlists, MFA, and role-based access?
- Do vendors have their own named accounts (no shared logins)?
Common 2026 failure mode
Remote tools get installed in a rush, then:
- stay forever
- get shared across vendors
- are not monitored
- become “quiet persistence” after phishing or credential theft
Quick wins (this week)
- Inventory remote access software
- Remove what you don’t need
- Require MFA and tighten permissions immediately
Deeper wins (this quarter)
- Centralize logging and alerting for remote access sessions
- Add vendor access governance (see pillar 6)
Pillar 5: Cloud data and collaboration
Goal: Collaboration stays easy—without turning sharing into data leakage.
Audit checks
- External sharing rules for Drive/SharePoint/OneDrive
- Link-sharing defaults (restricted vs public)
- DLP policies for sensitive data types (where appropriate)
- Email security and phishing resistance controls
- Governance for AI use (what can/can’t be pasted into tools)
Common 2026 failure mode
Remote work relies on links—and links spread.
You’ll often find:
- “Anyone with the link” content
- ex-employees still owning shared folders
- sensitive files living in personal drives
Quick wins (this week)
- Change default sharing policies and audit existing public links
- Transfer ownership of critical shared data to managed accounts
Deeper wins (this quarter)
- Data classification + DLP for the highest-risk workflows (HR, finance, legal)
Pillar 6: Monitoring, response, and third-party risk
Goal: Detect fast, respond faster—especially when vendors and remote endpoints are involved.
Remote work doesn’t just increase endpoints—it increases external dependencies.
Verizon’s 2025 DBIR highlights that third-party involvement in breaches doubled to 30%, and ransomware remains a major component of breaches. IT Services
Audit checks
- Central logging (identity, endpoints, VPN/remote access, cloud apps)
- Alert routing (who gets notified after hours?)
- Incident response steps for:
- account takeover
- stolen laptop
- remote access tool compromise
- ransomware on a remote endpoint
- Vendor access: documented, reviewed, revoked when not needed
Common 2026 failure mode
Logs exist, but:
- no one watches them consistently
- alerts go to a shared inbox
- after-hours = “tomorrow morning”
Quick wins (this week)
- Define “who responds” and “what triggers escalation”
- Turn on high-signal alerts (impossible travel, MFA fatigue, new admin creation, mass file downloads)
Deeper wins (this quarter)
- Establish 24/7 monitoring coverage (internal or outsourced)
- Build tabletop exercises into your quarter (simulate account takeover + remote endpoint compromise)
Your 2026 Remote Work Security Scorecard (simple and usable)
Score each pillar 0–5:
- 0–1: Ad hoc / undocumented / inconsistent
- 2–3: Basic controls exist but are uneven
- 4–5: Consistent, enforced, monitored, and tested
Minimum “safe baseline” for most SMBs:
Aim for 3+ in every pillar, then push Identity, Endpoint, and Monitoring to 4+.
The 1–7–30 day fix plan (most teams can actually execute this)
Day 1: Stop the biggest “easy wins” risks
- Enforce MFA everywhere (especially email + remote access)
- Inventory endpoints and remote access tools
- Remove unknown/unmanaged device access to sensitive apps
- Verify device encryption and screen lock policies
Week 1: Make access conditional and endpoints predictable
- Conditional access rules tied to device compliance
- Patch SLAs and visibility dashboards
- Remove local admin by default
- Lock down external sharing defaults in cloud collaboration
Day 30: Make it resilient (monitoring + response)
- Centralize logs and define alert ownership
- Run one tabletop exercise: “account takeover + remote endpoint compromise”
- Formalize vendor access governance and quarterly reviews
- Confirm VPN/remote access hardening and monitoring (or modernize access model)
Where MSPs (like CyberDuo) fit—without turning this into a sales pitch
If you read this and thought, “We could do all of this… but not consistently,” you’re not alone.
The biggest advantage many organizations get from a cybersecurity-focused MSP isn’t a single tool—it’s operational consistency:
- standardized endpoint management and patching
- security monitoring and response workflows
- tighter control over remote access tooling
- policy and incident response playbooks that don’t live in someone’s head
CyberDuo, for example, positions itself as a cybersecurity-focused managed IT services provider supporting SMBs.
And their cybersecurity services outline help with items like policies (e.g., incident response planning, business continuity planning) and broader security programs—areas that commonly slip in remote/hybrid environments.
You can absolutely build the same maturity in-house—especially at scale. The key is being honest about whether you can maintain it every week, not just during a security push.
Final takeaway: Remote work security isn’t one control—it’s a system
A secure remote work setup in 2026 is not:
- “We have a VPN”
- “We use antivirus”
- “We trained people once last year”
It’s a system where:
- identity is protected (and verified continuously)
- devices are managed and trustworthy
- remote access paths are hardened and monitored
- collaboration doesn’t leak data by default
- someone is watching for problems—and knows what to do at 2 a.m.
Run this audit quarterly. You’ll catch gaps while they’re cheap to fix.