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Secure a hybrid workforce by requiring verified identity and a healthy, up-to-date device for access—not by treating an office or home network as proof of safety. Layer that access control with browser and endpoint protections, disciplined extension management, and a clear way for employees to report suspicious requests.
Why hybrid work changes the browsing threat model
Employees may reach company applications from home, an office, or another location, using different networks, devices, browsers, and cloud services. That variety expands the number of ways a weak sign-in, outdated device, unsafe extension, or deceptive website can put work at risk. It does not mean every home network is compromised; it means location alone is not enough to establish trust.
NIST’s SP 800-46 Rev. 2 frames telework and bring-your-own-device security around protecting client devices against threats identified through an organization’s threat model. The publication dates to 2016 and was updated in 2021, so use it for foundational planning and current platform documentation for specific settings.
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Require strong authentication for workforce accounts and use access policies that consider device health and other conditions defined by the organization. Microsoft’s hybrid-work guidance describes Zero Trust as verifying identity and device rather than presuming either is secure because of the network. Its Conditional Access overview explains how device state and patch status can inform access decisions.
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Where the identity provider and devices support them, phishing-resistant sign-in methods such as passkeys or FIDO2 security keys can strengthen authentication. A physical key is an optional authenticator, not a website-blocking tool and not a substitute for endpoint or browser controls. Confirm that a chosen method works with the organization’s identity provider and employees’ devices. Microsoft reports that 92% of its employee productivity accounts were protected by phishing-resistant authentication methods; that figure describes Microsoft’s own initiative, and the guidance page does not state a year, so it should not be treated as an industry benchmark.
Keep devices, browsers, and web protections current
Enable automatic updates where appropriate, and maintain an organizational process for applying security updates to work computers and mobile devices. NIST’s Telework Security Basics advises keeping those devices patched and updated. Make sure the browser and operating system in use are covered by the organization’s update and support practices.
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Web-threat blocking can add protection against phishing, malware, exploits, and low-reputation sites. For example, Microsoft documents these capabilities in its Defender for Endpoint web protection overview. Coverage depends on product prerequisites, configuration, operating system, and browser behavior; an audit-only configuration records activity but does not block sites. Treat this as one implementation example, not a universal product recommendation.
Manage browser extensions as software
Extensions can request access to browsing data or the sites an employee visits. Employees should install only extensions needed for work, check whether the requested permissions fit the stated purpose, review privacy practices, and remove extensions they no longer use. Google’s Chrome Web Store guidance also recommends limiting the sites on which an extension can operate where that option is available.
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For managed Chrome environments, administrators can evaluate extensions and use policy controls to allow or block them. Google documents these options in its Chrome Enterprise extension management guidance. These steps are specific to managed Chrome; other browsers have different administrative controls. Google reported that less than 1% of Chrome Web Store installs were found to include malware in 2024. That figure concerns installs from the Chrome Web Store, not every extension source or the overall risk of all extensions.
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Employees should independently verify unusual requests before acting, especially requests to scan a computer, disclose a password, open an attachment, visit a supplied link, or join an unexpected meeting. Use a known phone number or another trusted channel rather than replying to the suspicious message or using contact details it provides.
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NIST’s Telework Security Basics recommends asking questions and verifying unusual requests by phone or other means before proceeding. Make the organization’s help desk or security contact the clear reporting route. Employees should report suspected malware rather than attempting to investigate or remove it themselves.
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Roll out controls in stages
- Inventory the environment. Record identity providers, applications, browsers, endpoints, and relevant BYOD constraints so policies fit how employees actually work.
- Choose controls against real requirements. Compare operating-system and browser coverage, whether a control blocks or only logs threats, extension governance, integration with identity and device compliance, support burden, user friction, privacy impact, and existing licensing. Avoid assuming one browser or product addresses every risk.
- Pilot with a small group. Test access and browser policies with representative users and devices. Check expected access, blocked threats, extension behavior, support issues, and unintended disruption.
- Communicate before expanding. Explain what changes, what employees should do when blocked, and how to report suspicious activity. Provide support for affected workflows.
- Expand incrementally and monitor. Broaden the policy scope as the organization validates its security and operational impact, then revisit settings as applications, devices, and work patterns change.
Microsoft recommends evaluating and piloting changes before incrementally expanding policy scope in its guidance for secure remote and hybrid work.
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