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As hybrid work becomes a long-term norm rather than a temporary adjustment, organisations face a critical challenge: how to secure a workforce that operates across multiple locations, devices, and networks, without disrupting performance or productivity.
This new reality has exposed the limitations of traditional security models. Legacy architectures rely on a clearly defined perimeter and centralised controls, but they no longer meet the needs of modern environments. In their place, organisations must adopt a new approach to cyber security, one built specifically for modern hybrid work environments.
The Security Challenges of Hybrid Work.
Hybrid work introduces greater flexibility, but it also brings significant complexity. Users now access corporate systems from a wide range of locations and devices, often using personal hardware and unsecured networks. Applications span on-premises systems, public cloud infrastructure, and SaaS platforms. Sensitive data is in transit more frequently and in more directions than ever before.
This fragmented operating model makes it difficult for security teams to maintain visibility and enforce consistent policies. Key challenges include:
- Ensuring secure access for remote and mobile workers
- Managing a growing volume of endpoints and shadow IT
- Protecting data across cloud services and SaaS applications
- Identifying and responding to threats that move laterally within flat networks
- Reducing complexity and overhead from disconnected tools and platforms
Increasing threats compound these challenges. According to recent research, 40% of IT and security professionals say they are losing control of their environments as workloads and responsibilities grow.
Why Traditional Security Models Are No Longer Sufficient.
In the past, security was focused on defending a well-defined perimeter: users and devices inside the corporate network were trusted, while anything outside was not. This model is fundamentally incompatible with today’s hybrid work structures.
The perimeter has dissolved. Employees work from home, public spaces, and branch offices. Applications and workloads run in multiple cloud environments. Devices connect through unmanaged networks. In this context, trust must be earned continuously, not assumed based on network location.
What organisations need is a cyber security strategy designed specifically for hybrid work, one that addresses threats across all access points and supports modern patterns of collaboration and productivity.
The Expanding Attack Surface in a Hybrid World.
Seventy-five percent of Fortune 100 companies now operate with hybrid models, and as more businesses follow suit, the risks will only continue to grow. As hybrid work accelerates, so too does the expansion of the enterprise attack surface. With users, devices, and applications increasingly distributed across locations and platforms, organisations are exposed to a broader range of vulnerabilities.
In hybrid environments, cyber threats are not isolated events. They often unfold across multiple stages—from initial discovery and compromise to lateral movement and data exfiltration. Each stage presents unique challenges, particularly when security visibility and control are fragmented.
The illustration below outlines the typical lifecycle of a cyber attack. It highlights how attackers begin by identifying vulnerable entry points, such as misconfigured VPNs or exposed APIs, before moving deeper into the environment, escalating privileges, and extracting sensitive data. In hybrid models, where endpoints and data paths are dispersed, every phase becomes harder to detect, contain, and prevent.
What a Modern Cyber Security Strategy for Hybrid Work Looks Like.
A robust cyber security strategy for hybrid work must address three core principles:
- Zero Trust as a foundational approach
Every access request, regardless of origin, must be authenticated, authorised, and continuously validated. - Unified visibility and control
Security teams need a consistent view of users, devices, applications, and data, regardless of where they operate. - Platform-based efficiency
Rather than stitching together siloed tools, organisations benefit from consolidated platforms that reduce complexity while enabling real-time response.
This strategic shift allows businesses to reduce cyber risk, improve operational resilience, and better support digital transformation initiatives.
Enabling Secure Growth Through Better Strategy.
Effective cyber security for hybrid work is not just a technical issue, it is a business imperative. Security must evolve from a reactive cost centre into a proactive enabler of growth, innovation, and trust.
At Secon, we help organisations transition to modern security frameworks that support hybrid working models. Whether you are early in your Zero Trust journey or replacing legacy infrastructure, we provide guidance and solutions tailored to your business goals.
To explore how your organisation can adapt to the realities of hybrid work, read our full overview on cyber security for hybrid work.
If you would like to discuss how to evolve your strategy in more detail, we welcome a conversation.