About 52% of remote employees now work in hybrid arrangements, forcing companies to rethink how they secure access to corporate systems and data.
As employees continue to object to “return to the office” requirements, about half of the workforce is splitting their time between remote and on-site work. From a cybersecurity perspective, this means that the traditional network perimeter is now a thing of the past as employees connect across home networks, public Wi-Fi and personal devices.
But all the benefits of “freedom” come at a price, especially for IT teams. The attack surface is significantly larger because all identities, devices and connections extend beyond the scope that companies can directly control.
The common approach has long been extended network access via a company VPN. However, VPNs primarily extend network scope and do not control how users access applications and data, which is a key security limitation.
Because of this, some security teams are moving to solutions that centralize the environment rather than access, and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is becoming the preferred approach.
Why companies rely on VDI for hybrid working
Corporate VPNs in hybrid environments are useful, but only to a limited extent. Once access is granted, security teams still have little visibility into how users are interacting with applications and data, especially when it comes to unmanaged or personal devices.
The VPN infrastructure itself has become a common target for attackers. For example, several critical vulnerabilities in Fortinet FortiGate VPN devices have allowed attackers to bypass authentication and gain direct access to corporate networks, often leading to ransomware and long-term persistence.
VDI closes this gap by moving control from the network layer to the application and environment layer, which is more in line with Zero Trust principles.
VDI allows organizations to host desktop environments centrally, typically in the cloud or a data center, while users access them remotely via secure sessions. Instead of running applications locally, users interact with a streamed desktop, with all processing and data storage occurring within a controlled infrastructure.
VDI is becoming increasingly popular among organizations managing hybrid environments, primarily due to its impact on security and operational efficiency.
Above all, this model simplifies security and administration. Data and applications never leave the centralized environment, significantly reducing the risk of data leaks. At the same time, IT teams gain greater transparency and control over user activities, access and configurations.
All applications and configurations are pre-configured, so users have everything they need from the moment they log in.
The impact on BYOD and unmanaged devices
One of the biggest challenges IT teams face is managing the risks of BYOD devices. It’s difficult to enforce strict controls on personal devices, so teams typically only have visibility at the application or web level, while activity on the device itself, such as downloads, browsing behavior, or potential malware infections, remains largely outside their control.
This is a big blind spot. If an attacker gains access to the device itself, they can access company resources through legitimate sessions, making detection impossible before damage is done.
VDI is a compelling solution here because it decouples access from the endpoint itself. Users often connect through a browser to a secure environment where all applications and data reside. The endpoint acts solely as a display layer, meaning it never directly interacts with internal systems or stores sensitive information.
For companies in regulated industries where tight control over data and access is essential, VDI offers a practical way to support BYOD without compromising security.
Budget pressures are accelerating the rollout
Cost considerations are another factor driving VDI demand. Endpoint hardware is expensive to purchase, maintain and replace. Even in BYOD scenarios, organizations still incur indirect costs such as supporting a wide range of devices, troubleshooting, and managing inconsistent environments. In fully managed setups, the burden is even greater as ongoing cycles of upgrades, repairs and replacements occur.
The VDI model is much simpler. There is no need to invest heavily in endpoint hardware as everything is hosted in the cloud and payments are based on actual usage. The upfront costs are much lower and costs can be adjusted more flexibly to staffing needs.
There are also significant indirect savings. IT teams can achieve more in less time by eliminating the need to provision, patch, or troubleshoot device-related issues. The result is a leaner IT operation with lower overhead and more predictable long-term costs.
In the office, virtually
Hybrid work is not an outlier, but an expectation in modern environments. Therefore, the way organizations approach access, security and infrastructure must evolve to reflect this reality. Technologies like VPNs still have a role to play, but they alone are no longer enough.
VDI represents a more controlled and forward-looking model. By centralizing environments and reducing reliance on endpoint trust, organizations can support flexible working without increasing risk.
