How to Maintain Business Continuity in the Era of Remote Work

The recent massive increase in the number of remote workers has exposed the problems that businesses are struggling with. 80% of large companies worldwide are poorly prepared to maintain business continuity in the event of a pandemic. For this reason, the attention of most employers is directed toward implementing an optimal solution that will allow the company to keep operating. In addition to using VPNs, companies can use web applications that greatly facilitate remote work.

The Role of Web Applications

Web applications are provided in the public cloud model (Software as a Service, SaaS). The software is located on servers in internet-connected data centers, and the task of their operators is to give users the impression that they are using applications installed directly on a physical device. It is therefore necessary to guarantee very fast data transmission, but also to protect it against loss or theft.

Access to the interface of such applications is done through a web browser – most often from a computer, but also from a mobile device (phone, tablet) or TV. In this way, you can use text editing tools, auction services, or check on a courier company's website where the expected shipment is at any given moment. Many such applications are also developed exclusively for the use of a given company. The flexibility of access to information ensured in this way makes it easier to transition to a remote work model and maintain business continuity.

How Web Applications Help

How Web Applications Help

The strategy and tactics defining how business continuity and the restoration of company operations after a disaster or failure will be ensured in the company should be described in a security policy document (Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery, BCDR). Web applications can significantly facilitate the process of creating such a policy for emergency and unexpected situations. Here are a few examples:

  • When employees cannot appear in person at the office, they should be able to use an internet-connected device with data transmission secured by the SSL protocol. This minimizes the risk of leaking confidential company information related, for example, to inventory management, expense reporting, or handling internal company systems.
  • It may happen that an employee's company device stops working, and delivering new equipment by the employer is difficult due to logistical constraints. In such situations, the user can use a private device, in line with the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) trend, from which they will gain secure access to web applications.
  • In the event of radical changes in the supply chain, thanks to web applications, cooperation with new suppliers can be started in order to efficiently manage inventory and shipping.

Potential Threats

– Web applications require a special approach. The strategies and solutions used to protect them often differ from those securing other types of resources. For example, a VPN clearly defines what is inside it and what is outside it. Web applications, on the other hand, should be protected mainly against threats coming from outside. It is also important that when granting access to them, multi-stage user authentication is used – points out Jolanta Malak, director of Fortinet in Poland.

Fortinet experts also note that these applications are exposed to many different threats, including deliberate remote blocking of access to them (DDoS), malicious bots, zero-day attacks exploiting the API interface, and others. The list of the most popular threats in a given year is published in the OWASP Top Ten document by the independent organization Open Web Application Security Project.

Of course, not all companies may be ready to move most of their business operations to the internet. However, in the case of those areas where it is possible, web applications will provide many benefits, including increased resilience to unforeseen circumstances. Most importantly, they will enable users to securely access the systems that will help maintain business continuity.

Terms from the Article

SSL — Secure Sockets Layer. A historical protocol for encrypting connections, withdrawn due to vulnerabilities. The name has remained in colloquial speech — today's “SSL certificates” are in fact TLS certificates.

Why it matters: The name is everywhere: in hosting offers, in panels, in conversations with clients. It is worth knowing that when you buy “SSL,” you get TLS.

When it is used: When ordering a certificate, talking to a hosting provider, reading the results of a security audit.

What omitting it risks: Actual SSL protocols are rejected by browsers today — a connection over SSL 3.0 will not be established at all.

API — Application Programming Interface. A defined way in which applications exchange data and call their functions. It describes endpoints, the format of requests, responses, errors, authorization, and usage limits.

Why it matters: It is an agreement between systems: as long as the API does not change, integrations work without fixes. Thanks to APIs, a portal, CRM, and newsletter can use the same data without manual transfer.

When it is used: In every integration of two systems: publishing content on a portal, synchronizing contacts, downloading reports.

What omitting it risks: Without an API, data is transferred through exports and copying — version mismatches, delays, and human errors appear with every update.

DDoS — Distributed Denial of Service. Flooding a service with traffic from many machines at once so that it stops responding to ordinary users. It does not steal data — it cuts off access.

Why it matters: An hour of unavailability on the day of a campaign launch costs more than a year of protection. For news services, it is also a loss of search engine ranking.

When it is used: When planning infrastructure for a campaign, a live event, or the publication of a high-profile piece of content.

What omitting it risks: Without a protective layer (a CDN with filtering, request limits), one determined attacker is enough for a service to disappear from the network for several hours.

Summary

Web applications provided in the public cloud model allow employees to maintain access to company systems from any device, which in a crisis situation makes it possible to maintain the continuity of the company's operations. Of key importance here is the BCDR policy document defining the strategy for dealing with a failure.

Experts point out that web applications — unlike VPNs — require protection against external threats and the use of multi-stage authentication. As Jolanta Malak of Fortinet points out, the most serious risks include DDoS attacks, malicious bots, and zero-day threats.