When remote work became mandatory in the wake of the 2020 COVID pandemic, organizations had to quickly dispatch staffers to their homes with all the equipment, and services, they would need to do their jobs.
However, as organizations ranging from the US government to JP Morgan Chase to Amazon, have all put out a call for their workers to return to the office, security issues will again become paramount.
When staff shifted to the home office, businesses were either proactively ready for the operational change or reactively forced to turn up new processes and technology just to sustain business continuity. The rush to remote work often relegated security concerns to the back burner in an effort to avoid disruption or degradation to operations. The 2025 push to return to office presents its own challenges. Organizations need to brush the dust off security policies, procedures and culturally regain the muscle memory for security behavior that may have atrophied over the last five years.
This will include getting the office ready and for employees to recognize and eliminate certain bad behaviors they picked up while working from home. I don’t think this is an issue only large organizations must deal with; security is important for the Fortune 500 and a mom-and-pop enterprise.
Let’s Get Physical
While the cybersecurity aspect of a return to office should not be overlooked, a big challenge may be ensuring the physical facility itself is properly prepared and that workers get back into the groove of protecting information on their desktop, and other devices around the office, such as printers.
On the physical security front, organizations must reassess building access controls. Badge systems, biometric authentication, and visitor management procedures should be updated to accommodate new office occupancy policies.
Networks need to be secured against threat actors “tail-gaiting,” which means sitting in their car or nearby and attempting to gain access to the organization’s WiFi.
Unused office spaces or modified seating arrangements could create blind spots for security personnel, increasing the risk of unauthorized access or insider threats. And speaking of unauthorized access, companies need to reinstate their perimeter security. This could include manning the receptionist desk or making sure the building’s main access security personnel are operating properly. Finally, everyone should be on alert for unknown people walking around the office.
Employee training should be instituted with everyone being reminded of best practices for securing workstations, including locking screens, safeguarding sensitive documents, and maintaining a clean desk.
It’s Back to the Office We Go – With All of Our Stuff
As companies transition back to in-office work, security teams must address a unique set of challenges to protect digital and physical assets.
One key cybersecurity risk is the reintegration of personal or remote devices into corporate networks, both of the bring your own device (BYOD) and corporately issued variety.
Employees may unknowingly bring in devices that were compromised while working remotely, exposing corporate systems to malware or unauthorized access.
IT teams should ensure that all devices are properly scanned and updated before reconnecting to the network. Additionally, remote access tools and VPNs, which were heavily relied upon during remote work, must be reviewed and potentially deactivated to prevent unnecessary exposure to external threats.
With employees accessing corporate data remotely and in-office, the importance of strong authentication measures is greater than ever. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) should be enforced to prevent unauthorized access, and security teams should monitor login attempts for any suspicious activity. Phishing attacks remain a major concern, as cybercriminals continue to exploit workforce transitions. Security awareness training should be ongoing, equipping employees to recognize and report phishing attempts that could compromise corporate credentials and data.
Hybrid work also introduces new challenges related to secure communication. Employees shifting between home and office environments may rely on unapproved collaboration tools, increasing the risk of data leakage. Organizations should enforce clear policies on which platforms are sanctioned for use and ensure that employees understand the risks of shadow IT.
There is also the fact that corporate devices will now be on the move as people commute to and from work. These workers must be aware and make certain the device is not forgotten on the train or left in an unlocked car.
As companies embrace the return to office life, a strong security posture requires a combination of robust cybersecurity defenses and enhanced physical security measures. By taking proactive steps to mitigate risks, organizations can create a secure environment that supports both productivity and protection.
