How IBM Ensured Clean Desk Compliance & Data Security for a Leading BFSI Client

The Challenge: Security Without Compromise

In July 2024, IBM needed to help one of its key clients—Bank of Montreal—strengthen remote workforce security. The bank operates in a tightly regulated environment, where compliance with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is critical.

The challenge? They needed a solution that could monitor remote workspaces for data risks and enforce clean desk practices, without capturing any biometric images of employees—respecting privacy while maintaining security.

The Goal: Zero Trust, Full Confidence

IBM’s mission was clear:

• Enforce a Zero Trust Policy—never assume trust, always verify.
  
  
• Ensure Clean Desk Policy adherence at all remote locations.
  
  
• Avoid using sensitive personal data (like facial biometrics) in the process.
  
  

The Solution: RemoteDesk’s Smart, Privacy-First Monitoring

IBM chose RemoteDesk to implement a flexible yet powerful solution that aligned perfectly with these needs:

• Environmental DLP Monitoring: RemoteDesk checked for suspicious mobile device usage, employee presence and potential shoulder surfing events in remote workspace that could lead to data exposure.

• Clean Desk Compliance: The system helped verify that employees followed strict remote workspace compliance rules, reducing risk of data leaks.

• Non-Biometric Setup: RemoteDesk’s monitoring worked without collecting facial images, ensuring employee privacy was fully respected.

The Outcome: Secure, Compliant, and Respectful of Privacy

With RemoteDesk, IBM delivered a solution that:

• Met PCI DSS requirements with minimal intrusion.
  
  
• Supported Bank of Montreal’s Zero Trust framework.
  
  
• Provided peace of mind to both clients and remote employees.
  
  
• Proved that privacy and security can go hand-in-hand in today’s remote work era.

Conclusion:

In a world where data protection is non-negotiable, IBM showed that with the right technology, you can build secure systems that protect not just information—but also the people handling it.