Endpoint Security via Thin Clients & Virtualization

With the alarming rate of data breaches and cyber attacks, smart organizations are paying more attention to endpoint security as part of a larger trend toward addressing cyber threats. One of the increasingly popular approaches is desktop virtualization deployed via thin clients.

Virtual desktops make it easier to secure the endpoint by making it simple to quickly update user controls and ensuring data and documents are never stored on the endpoint device (which helps in cases of device loss or theft). It also has the added benefit of not needing a fully loaded PC to run. This allows organizations to shift to more affordable thin clients while still gaining the security benefits they were originally looking for.

Dizzion offers two easy-to-manage, affordable thin client solutions to help organizations achieve endpoint security. (Three, if you make it to the bonus use case at the end of this blog!)

zLink+: About the size of a desk phone, the zLink+ is a small form factor thin client that only needs peripherals like a mouse, keyboard and monitor. It’s great for companies want to provide endpoints without suppling expensive and difficult to manage laptops.

zLink Connect: A USB drive that’s about the size of an adult’s thumb nail, zLink Connect solves the security and compliance concerns of companies that want to allow BYOD (bring your own device). When engaged, zLink Connect transforms the user’s device into a secure thin client that only allows access to their company-issued virtual environment.

Here are a few scenarios where thin clients are an ideal secure endpoint solution.

Supporting Work at Home Employees

Remote working has a range of benefits and is an increasingly popular option among both workers and employers. But it raises a few challenges: how do you ensure security and what endpoint device does the remote worker use? Some organizations have adopted a BYOD model while others have opted to ship endpoints (often laptops) to remote employees. BYOD often leaves many security concerns unaddressed and mailing a company-issued laptop is expensive (especially if you don’t get it back).

By using affordable thin clients, organizations can create a secure remote working situation without the expense or hassle of mailing laptops or the worry of allowing BYOD.

Supporting Seasonal Scale

There are any number of events that can cause spikes for organizations across industries:

• Tax preparation time
• Holiday shopping seasons
• Popular home buying seasons
• Open enrollment periods
• Weather issues or natural disaster response

Some of these are predictable, some aren’t, but either way, organizations need to be prepared to scale with demand. To do this, some companies have storage rooms filled with computers that go mostly unused (and unpatched). Other organizations might rely on BYOD, which can present security and compatibility problems.

Thin client solutions are not only much more affordable than “back up” computers, but they’re also easier to store and cheaper to deploy to contractors (who are often remote or set up in temporary contact centers). Once the thin client is deployed, organizations simply have to spin up more virtual desktops, complete with pre-configured software, security and controls.

Extending Compliance to the Endpoint

Compliance isn’t getting easier and fines aren’t getting smaller. That means organizations need to start taking compliance seriously. Endpoints are one of the most difficult aspects of security and compliance and are often the breach point in noncompliance cases.

Compliant virtual desktop solutions are an easier way for organizations to meet many compliance requirements since the desktop as service (DaaS) company helps share the burden (just make sure you’re not get a “compliance lite” solution). But historically, organizations are still responsible for compliance on the endpoint.

Now, newer services and solutions are even helping with that aspect. Dizzion’s zLink solutions are covered as part of our annual PCI DSS and HIPAA HITECH compliance audits and our compliant virtual desktop solutions extend to the endpoint when zLinks are in use.

BONUS: Repurpose Outdated PCs

If you’re bought into the idea of thin clients for better endpoint security, there’s another exciting option on the market right now: repurposing outdated PCs into secure thin clients.

Hardware refresh cycles are an unfortunate reality of any organization. Computers only last so long, and as technology advances they can become outdated even more quickly (mainly lacking compatibility or resources to support updated Operating System versions). But those devices were relatively expensive to buy and it’s unfortunate to have to repeat the entire process.

Conversion solutions allow organizations to bring those outdated devices back to usefulness by wiping the underlying OS and transforming the device into a permanent thin client. This allows devices with memory constraints and other limited resources to remain in use and lets organizations extend the life of the hardware they already paid for. 

Learn more about Dizzion’s cloud desktop and secure endpoint services >>