Tackling Remote Work Security: A Biotech Company’s Strategy for Unmanaged Devices

In today’s biotech industry, innovation happens rapidly, and the demand for specialized skills often leads to diverse, global teams of experts.

One leading biotech company, recognized for its cutting-edge work in cellular therapy, found itself in a unique position. Nearly half of its workforce consisted of contractors, consultants, and offshore workers working on BYOD laptops—key contributors to their research and development efforts. But as their teams expanded, so did the complexity of managing and securing their distributed workforce.

The Challenge: Managing Remote Teams Without Compromising Security

While the core research team operated within a tightly controlled corporate environment, a significant portion of the workforce needed access to sensitive data from remote locations. These professionals often worked from their personal devices, requiring access to critical proprietary data for research, collaboration, and development.

The challenge? Securing that data without locking down their teams’ ability to work efficiently – or compromising their privacy.

Like many organizations, this biotech leader had experimented with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions and VPNs, but both had their limitations. VDI environments often slowed productivity with latency issues, and VPNs couldn’t offer the comprehensive security or control the company needed across such a wide range of devices. 

With so many contractors relying on their own laptops and personal devices to access sensitive IP, the company realized it needed a more flexible, secure solution that didn’t create bottlenecks for its workforce.

Seeking a Modern Solution for a Growing Problem

Frustrated with the limitations of their current setup, the company began exploring alternative solutions—one that could offer the flexibility required for a remote workforce while ensuring the security necessary for handling sensitive medical data. They were especially concerned about securing intellectual property (IP) and patient data in line with stringent industry regulations, like HIPAA.

That’s when they turned to Venn.

Introducing the Blue Border: Security Without Sacrificing Flexibility

Venn’s Blue Border offered exactly what this leading biotech company was looking for. Unlike traditional solutions that isolate users from their devices or create unnecessary hurdles to get work done, Venn’s platform allows users to access sensitive company data securely, from their personal laptops, without restricting their workflows or infringing on their privacy. Here’s how:

• A Secure Boundary for Work Data: 
  • Venn’s patented Blue Border™ technology is a visual and computational boundary designed to isolate and protect work activity from personal use on the same computer. This allowed the company’s contractors and consultants to work seamlessly on their own laptops while ensuring company data protection and end-user privacy.

• No More Heavy Hardware Investments: 
  • One of the company’s goals was to avoid having to ship company laptops to all contractors, especially given the global nature of their workforce. Venn enabled them to eliminate the need for these expensive and cumbersome deployments by allowing users to work securely from their personal devices.

• Compliance Without Compromise: 
  • Ensuring compliance with industry regulations like HIPAA was a priority, and Venn’s solution delivered. By creating a Secure Enclave that could be easily monitored and managed by IT, the company ensured that all sensitive information remained compliant while keeping their research and operations running smoothly.

The Road Ahead

With Venn’s Blue Border, this leading biotech company has found a way to empower their remote workforce—without sacrificing security or slowing down productivity. 

The result? A more agile, efficient team that can continue pushing the boundaries of science without worrying about the safety of their intellectual property or the risk of regulatory breaches.

For organizations managing a dispersed workforce, the lessons are clear: with the right technology, securing remote teams doesn’t have to come at the cost of productivity. Whether you’re leading a biotech company or any organization that relies on contractors, consultants, or offshore workers, the right security solution can make all the difference.