*By Fabio Nikel
The “new normal”, a period known in history as the time when the Covid-19 pandemic forced us to work from home, away from social contact, is gradually becoming the “old normal” to make room for a new reality. . In recent months, companies have been structuring themselves to welcome back their workforce, albeit in a hybrid way.
But, is this return something so simple? What were the impacts that remote work left on teams? What kind of fads has it generated and how can this negatively impact the security of the business?
Probably all companies that needed to adhere to the home office had a break in culture. Access and security policies need to be resumed and this does not always work perfectly organically, especially in the largest companies, with hundreds of employees.
For this, it is necessary to have the technological support to protect the company's assets through standardized security processes and information traceability, and thus increase security and compliance. According to ABESE, the Brazilian Association of Electronic Security Systems Companies, the security market in Brazil earned more than R$ 9 bi in 2021 and projects a growth of 18% in 2022. This demonstrates that the return to normal life brings security concerns.
Ideally, the access and security solution should embed all the company's routines in the cloud, unified on a single platform, so as to guarantee traceability and availability of information from all devices involved in the security management project.
This physical return to work brings back old challenges like controlling restricted areas and people access, plus an even bigger challenge with cybersecurity. With more and more IoT devices connected to employees' lives, it's important to record network access. Logical security needs physical security, particularly to identify or track the source of any internal cyber threats or breaches.
In addition, the return to the office must also be considered from the perspective of outsourcing, since companies have increasingly contracted outsourced services that consist of the presence of employees who are not on the initial records of the companies' HR department. The integrated security solution in the cloud must obtain a module designed for these situations, digitizing the relationship process with service providers, but also thinking about the safety of people, since there are areas in the industries that should not be visited by people without training, to reduce risks, avoid accidents, leakage of confidential information, etc.
Another benefit is the integration between software and hardware in order to prevent employees from entering workstations without proper personal protective equipment (PPE) or irregular hours, and provide instant and reliable information about anomalies or situations that require decision-making.
Thus, only regularized professionals can access each area stipulated by the company's policy, ensuring that everyone meets the defined requirements, has the necessary training and equipment. All this is essential so that the “old/new normal” does not bring physical or cyber security risks, much less threats to the business or stains on the image or reputation due to actions that can be prevented through technology.
*Fabio Nikel, Head of Product at Senior Sistemas
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
EN 
PT 
