Implementing security governance for remote work: challenges and best practices

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the challenges organizations face in implementing effective security governance frameworks for remote work environments and to identify best practices that enable organizations to maintain robust security postures while supporting distributed workforce models. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach was employed, consisting of a systematic literature review of 47 academic and practitioner publications, followed by semistructured interviews with 18 information security professionals across various industries. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key challenges and effective governance strategies. Findings The research identified five primary challenges in remote work security governance: endpoint security management, network security boundary dissolution, shadow IT proliferation, compliance verification difficulties and security culture maintenance. The study found that successful organizations implement layered governance approaches that balance technical controls with human-centric security measures, employing risk-based frameworks that adapt to the distributed nature of remote work. Originality/value This study provides a comprehensive analysis of security governance in the context of remote work, moving beyond tactical security controls to examine governance frameworks that enable strategic security management in distributed environments. It contributes to the literature by presenting an integrated model that aligns security governance with remote work realities.