Many people telework (also known as telecommuting), which is the ability for an organization’s employees and contractors to conduct work from locations other than the organization’s facilities. Teleworkers use various devices, such as desktop and laptop computers, cell phones, and personal digital assistants (PDA), to read and send email, access Web sites, review and edit documents, and perform many other tasks. Most teleworkers use remote access, which is the ability of an organization’s users to access its nonpublic computing resources from locations other than the organization’s facilities. Organizations have many options for providing remote access, including virtual private networks, remote system control, and individual application access (e.g., Web-based email).

This Special Publication is part of a series of reports by the Information Technology Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology that focus on research, guidance, and outreach efforts in computer security and its collaborative activities with industry, government, and academic organizations.

The attached Zip file includes:

• Intro Page.doc

• Cover Sheet and Terms.pdf

• User's Guide to Securing External Devices for Telework and Remote Access.pdf