What Is the Edge?

Defining the Teleworker Environment

A teleworker computer is any computer that spends at least some of its time outside the confines of your organization's physical security. This definition errs on the side of inclusion because even a system that never connects to your organization's network while away is still susceptible to a variety of attacks, which can present problems when the system is reintroduced to the campus network. In general, there are two main kinds of teleworker computers: portable computers and fixed-location remote systems. Portable computers have unique security requirements because they can connect to many different networks, each of which has a different threat profile. Fixed-location systems are systems such as desktop PCs installed at users' homes for what can be termed full-time teleworkers. These systems typically have lowered security risks but still must deal with the inability for the organization to control the physical and network access in that location.