Application: Remote Access and Cryptographic Protocols

Remote access is essential to many organizations; however, it exposes the organization's information systems network to a variety of security threats. There are different countermeasures available to combat such threats and each organization must select the measures that serve it best.

Consider the following scenario: You are a busy software developer for a big IT consultancy and are working on a large IT project. You have not taken any vacation in two years and really need to get away for at least a week. However, given the nature of your job and the deadlines, you need to work for at least a couple of hours on most days of your vacation. As a result, you need remote access to your company's network. 

For this Assignment, prepare a presentation of 16-20 slides considering various modes of remote access, explaining them in terms of risks and benefits, and developing countermeasures to remote access based security threats. Address the following concerns in your presentation:

• Suppose you use a virtual session (i.e. Citrix or VMware virtual desktop environments) for remote access. This access gives you a desktop session on the organization's intranet.
  • Explain specific details about this solution including which secure protocol it uses.
  • Explain the benefits and drawbacks of the virtual session.
• Suppose you use a VPN for remote access. This access allows your computer to connect to the organization's intranet directly, like being at the office.
  • Explain specific details about this solution including which secure protocol it uses.
  • Explain the benefits and drawbacks of the VPN.
• Select two defense countermeasures that would secure your company's network from threats associated with remote access. Justify your selection. Use APA format for your references.