We’re confident that IT professionals will love the new Citrix Workspace App as much as we do here at Atlas Cloud. Not only does it offer a great range of user benefits (link to other blog) is now gives a layer of security not available anywhere else.
This security is all managed via Citrix Access Control which is an intuitive platform that allows IT to manage and monitor security across all users of Citrix Workspace. Here I’m going to take a look at just five of the great ways Citrix Workspace will enhance your level of security.
1. Everything In One Place
For me this is the best feature of Citrix Workspace. It brings together all of your files, desktops, on-site apps and SaaS apps into one environment. By doing this it gives IT more control than they’ve ever had before, for example where SaaS applications have been outside of their control.
You can now use enhanced controls and add extra layers of security to determine how users interact with things. Take Salesforce, for example, you can now set it to open up within a secure browser with watermarks (to prevent screenshotting) and restricted printing and clipboard access. These are important tools in the fight against deliberate insider related data loss.
You also now have the ability to use URL filtering capabilities to determine how URLs are used in any application. Based on whitelisting, blacklisting, web reputation and category groupings (e.g. gambling or social media) you can treat links differently. You can grant access, deny access or grant access with additional security e.g. open Gmail but restrict the attaching of files.
Finally, by having everything in one place, it offers integrated file support which means all files from on-site storage, cloud storage and commonly used platforms like OneDrive are together. This makes it life easier for users and stops them needing to use their own file storage like DropBox. Also, improved approval workflows keep files within the app, removing the need for them to be emailed around. It allows IT to retain control – perfect for a post GDPR world.
2. Single Sign On
Ask any IT professional and the number one request they get from users will always be to do with passwords. Citrix Workspace aims to improve this by offering access to everything they need via one single sign on.
You might wonder how exactly this helps security? Well, by only needing to remember one password instead of multiple (e.g. one for login, one for Salesforce, one for Mailchimp etc.) it massively cuts down on the need for users to do something risky like writing them down on a post-it note and sticking it to their monitor (we’ve all seen it!).
I see single sign on as a win-win situation as it’ll cut down on the number of calls IT will get and it should hopefully stop unnecessary security risks. And for those who still struggle to remember one password, on certain devices they can login using their fingerprint or facial recognition – surely no-one will forget to bring their hand or face to work!
3. A.I. and Machine Learning
One of the headline capabilities of Workspace is that it uses advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to aid security.
By using Citrix Analytics it analyses user behaviour and interactions to become smarter and help IT managers out when it comes to potential security breaches. For example, if one of your users regularly only logins in one location it will send an alert to IT administrators should that user ever try and login from another country, as chances are this is a potential cyber-attack.
So by implementing Citrix Workspace you’ll be getting a system which is continuously collecting and analysing data in order to improve your security. With the rise in cyber related attack, having this in your corner is priceless in today’s workplace.
4. Monitor User’s Risk Levels & Behaviour
Unfortunately, whether intentionally or accidentally, your users can be one of the biggest threats to your IT security. Insider threats posed by disgruntled employees can lead to them compromising your data. Similarly, employees clicking a malicious link through lack of understanding can create problems.
Citrix Workspace offers IT managers the ability to monitor a user’s behaviour and also what their risk level is. This is a great way to identify which employees may need more security training as they are displaying behaviour that makes them likely to fall for certain scams.
5. Unified Endpoint Management
One of the cool things about Citrix Workspace is that it offers a universal experience across all devices and is compatible with Windows 10, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Linux and HTML5.
This allows IT Unified Endpoint Management that provides a common policy framework to manage devices, applications, files and network access through one easy to manage console. It also helps to speed up commonly resource heavy tasks like on-boarding, inventory control, patching and software distribution. Additionally, in the event of a lost or stolen device, you can lock down or wipe Workspace remotely to protect your data.
