Teleworker Risk Assessment vs. Comprehensive IT Security Assessment [Differences & Similarities]

Security risk assessments are a great way to have an external perspective on what you’re doing right and wrong when it comes to cybersecurity.

However, different types of security assessments analyze different areas of your IT environment.

With recent changes to how many businesses utilize a remote workforce, at The KR Group, our customers are looking for an assessment specific to their remote security. Our teleworker security assessment is designed for this purpose.

One question we frequently receive is how it compares to our comprehensive security risk assessment. (We call this a Purple Team Hive Assessment.)

Understanding these differences and similarities can help you determine which type of assessment is the best fit for you.

Differences between a security risk assessment and teleworker risk assessment

Looking at the differences between a comprehensive security risk assessment and a teleworker risk assessment gives many of our customers a good idea of which one is right for them.

Some of the most obvious differences include:

1. Scope
2. Duration
3. Cost

These are also three of the most important things customers want to know about the assessments.

1. Security Risk vs Teleworker Assessment: Scope

A comprehensive security risk assessment looks at all the areas of your network.

You have part of the security team looking at what defensive security measures you have set up. The other part performs offensive testing to see if your current security measures are effective against an attack.

A teleworker assessment, on the other hand, only provides defensive analysis to a narrow portion of your IT environment, specifically the remote access infrastructure. A teleworker assessment is actually under the scope of a full security risk assessment.

The scope of a teleworker assessment is limited to IT components related to your remote workforce.

This assessment looks at things like automated monitoring and security controls, the use of data encryption, managed access control points, and privileged access and command control as related to your infrastructure for remote employees.

2. Security Risk vs Teleworker Assessment: Duration

Since the scope of a teleworker assessment is less extensive than a comprehensive security assessment, it also doesn’t take as long.

A comprehensive security risk assessment takes 2 to 3 weeks from when you begin filling out the paperwork about your IT environment to the final report completion and presentation.

This allows enough time for on-site and off-site analysis, offensive and defensive testing, and the creation of a report including details on the risk level and risk reduction options associated with each vulnerability found.

Since a teleworker risk assessment only looks at the remote side of your network, it is much shorter. In fact, the assessment portion takes a single day.

Your security adviser will need a bit more time to put together the report and present it to you, but the whole process takes a fraction of the time a comprehensive security assessment does.

3. Security Risk vs Teleworker Assessment: Cost

The shorter duration means the teleworker assessment costs less than a comprehensive security assessment.

Unless you want to extend the scope of a teleworker risk assessment, it costs $1,800. This includes the actual assessment as well as the report creation and presentation.

If you have more room in your budget for a more comprehensive security assessment, you can expect to spend $15,000 or more, depending on the size of your IT environment.

Neither of these prices includes what it will cost to implement the recommendations listed in the report.

These are some of the obvious differences between the two assessments, but there are also ways they are alike.

Similarities between a security risk assessment and teleworker assessment

Regardless of which security assessment you choose, there are some things you can always expect, including:

1. Plan of action and documentation
2. Risk ranking
3. Improved security posture

All of these relate to resolving security issues found during the different assessments. This means regardless of which option you choose, you can expect to have actions to start improving your security posture.

1. Security Risk vs Teleworker Assessment: Documentation

At the end of each assessment, your security adviser will put the findings and results in a report.

This gives you an idea of what areas they looked at and what they found.

It also includes a plan of action to address each vulnerability so it no longer impacts your security posture.

2. Security Risk vs Teleworker Assessment: Risk Ranking

Risk ranking is part of the documentation provided at the end of a security risk assessment, but it is worth mentioning separately.

If you’re not a cybersecurity expert, you may find it hard to determine where to start making an impact on your security posture.

This part of the report is designed to give you an idea of what vulnerabilities are having the biggest impact on your security and which to address first.

Risks are grouped into high, medium, and low priority based on the impact addressing each one will have on strengthening your security posture.

3. Security Risk vs Teleworker Assessment: Stronger Security Posture

With both assessments, the goal is to strengthen your security posture.

The documentation and risk reduction recommendations are designed to help you do this.

Even though the scope is different for a comprehensive security risk assessment and teleworker assessment, reducing risk outlined in each report will help you strengthen the area(s) assessed.

Which security assessment is right for me?

Deciding which type of security risk assessment is right for you comes down to considering what the differences mean for your business.

• Do you need your whole IT environment analyzed to find your security risks?
• Do you want a quick list of ways to start reducing vulnerabilities, or are you willing to wait longer for a more thorough report?
• Do you have the budget for a comprehensive security assessment? 

There is undeniable value in the scope and detail of a security risk assessment. However, if you only want a quick snapshot of your remote workforce security and are looking for a less expensive option, a teleworker risk assessment is likely the best option for you.

Once you decide which assessment is right for you, we know one of your next questions will be for more details on cost. We encourage you to check out our articles on the cost of a comprehensive security risk assessment and teleworker security risk assessment for more information.