Achieving compliance with remote monitoring and control

Introduction

Did you know the need to comply with laws and regulations is one of the main challenges forcing IT leaders to redirect their time and focus away from strategic work?

And it’s not without reason. Regulatory environments are always evolving, and the consequences of non-compliance can be quite severe.

Take Meta, for example. The owner of Facebook and Instagram was fined a staggering EUR 1.2 billion for violating EU data protection regulations in 2023.

Technological advancements, like remote monitoring and control systems, can help businesses make compliance more efficient and cost-effective. This allows them to respond swiftly to violations or regulatory changes. It also frees up time for innovation and strategic activities.

I met with Andrea Martin and Anna Klotzbücher, two compliance experts at TeamViewer. We discussed the biggest compliance challenges and how remote monitoring technology can help to address them.

Understanding compliance in modern industries

Before we dive into the specifics, let’s first define what we mean by compliance. Andrea, our Senior Compliance and Risk Manager, puts it like this:

“Compliance is about adhering to laws, regulations, internal guidelines, and policies, including contracts with clients, customers, and business partners.”

It’s important to note that this can look very different from one company to another. For instance, data privacy regulations depend on the regions you operate in and the type of data you process.

Some of the most common regulatory frameworks include:

• EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): The GDPR protects the right of individuals to the protection of their personal data. It regulates the way organizations can process personal data, across nationalities and places of residency.
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA): Like the GDPR, the CCPA defines how companies can use, store, and sell consumers’ personal data. It’s among the most comprehensive data privacy laws in the U.S.
• System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2): SOC 2 ensures that service providers securely manage customer data. It’s not a legal requirement but a widely recognized standard for data security and trust.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): The HIPAA is a U.S. data protection framework for healthcare providers and businesses in related sectors. It sets strict standards for handling sensitive patient health information.
• Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS): The PCI DSS protects credit card data, secures transactions, and reduces the risk of fraud. It applies to all businesses that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information.

Silos, legacy systems, and manual processes can make it difficult to ensure organization-wide adherence to these regulations. At the same time, regional differences in regulations add complexity.

This is where remote monitoring and control systems, like those offered by TeamViewer and 1E, come in. They’re particularly useful for monitoring data, generating reports, and detecting issues and gaps. Which, in turn, helps to improve accuracy and efficiency.

Read more: Maintaining IT compliance in 2024: Is your business ready?

What are remote monitoring and control systems?

Remote monitoring and control systems allow organizations to oversee assets, processes, and infrastructure remotely.

They integrate with sensors, internet of things (IoT) devices, and software platforms to access and track key metrics in real time. They can proactively detect issues or security gaps which facilitates maintenance and troubleshooting.

Remote monitoring and control systems play a critical role in various settings. Here are a few examples:

• In industrial environments, they monitor equipment health. This helps to prevent failures and reduce downtime.
• In IT, they track system performance and give admins visibility into their environment. They also help identify cybersecurity threats such as missing software patches or shadow IT.
• Healthcare organizations use remote monitoring systems to manage patient data and oversee critical medical devices like ventilators or infusion pumps to make sure they function smoothly.

By automating data collection, remote monitoring systems reduce reporting effort and improve accuracy. A centralized dashboard enhances visibility, and automated alerts help identify and address risks before they escalate. These capabilities improve efficiency, security, and compliance, making remote monitoring and control a crucial tool for modern businesses.

How remote monitoring supports compliance

Let’s explore how remote monitoring systems can help your company achieve regulatory compliance.

Real-time data collection

A major benefit of remote monitoring systems is that they reduce the amount of effort needed to gather relevant data.

“With remote monitoring systems, we can record data faster and more comprehensively than with manual processes”, Andrea points out.

By collecting data continuously, these systems can help organizations meet their reporting requirements. For instance, monitoring system uptime to fulfill service level agreements (SLAs). Or tracking energy usage to prove compliance with environmental regulations.

 

Automated alerts and incident management

Remote monitoring and control systems go way beyond mere data collection. Automated analytics allow them to flag potential issues or security gaps long before they escalate.

Andrea emphasizes that spotting vulnerabilities early is crucial—especially for cyberattacks or ransomware.

Remote monitoring systems can generate an alert whenever they detect potential issues. That includes missing patches, unauthorized downloads, or attempts to access the company network. These alerts can help prevent compliance violations, particularly in terms of cybersecurity and data protection regulations.

Improved transparency and audits

Monitoring and control systems can also improve transparency by creating detailed audit trails and reports.

They log system events like remote connections or security incidents and generate automatic reports, reducing manual effort and minimizing human errors. This allows for more comprehensive and accurate reports.

Remote monitoring and control can also help you uncover risky behavior. For example, when employees use unauthorized digital tools to access, store, or share corporate data—also known as shadow IT. This is crucial for all businesses, seeing as one study found that 80% of employees use shadow IT.

Secure data management

Remote monitoring and control systems can help ensure data privacy compliance—provided they have a clearly defined purpose and don’t process unrelated data.

They also need to include security controls required by data protection laws like the GDPR, like end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication.

Anna, Compliance and Risk Manager at TeamViewer, is an expert in this field.

“The GDPR requires us to take technical and organizational measures to protect personal data,” she explains, “That can include restricting access to server rooms, or enforcing the Need-to-know principle—meaning employees can only access data that’s essential for their work.”

Read more: 3 key compliance blockers and how you can solve them

Key features to look for in remote monitoring and control systems

Ready to get compliant with a brand-new remote monitoring and control system? These are some key features to look out for.

• Customizable alerts: Stay ahead of potential violations with instant alerts and notifications.
• Reporting and analytics tools: Speed up regulatory submissions using automated reporting and analytics.
• Integration capabilities: Close gaps by integrating remote monitoring with existing tools like SIEM systems.
• Scalability: Your remote monitoring system should be able to support your current setup and adapt as your business grows.
• Security features: Safeguard sensitive data through encryption, multi-factor authentication, and granular access controls.

TeamViewer’s remote monitoring and management solution even goes beyond these capabilities. It allows you to monitor and control your digital infrastructure from one intuitive dashboard. The addition of 1E technology brings even more extensive device management capabilities.

Benefits of implementing remote monitoring for IT security compliance

Let’s consider the broader business benefits of using remote monitoring and control as part of your IT security compliance strategy.

Enhanced efficiency

Remote monitoring and control systems improve efficiency by providing a faster way to collect, analyze, and document data. This reduces the manual workload and makes reporting and audits less of a hassle.

Automated alerts make it easy to respond to issues quickly, preventing regulatory violations and keeping systems running smoothly. Even more so when remote monitoring is combined with remote access and control capabilities.

Cost savings

Where there’s improved efficiency, there’s often an improved bottom line. By automating data collection and reporting, you can reduce the time spent on audits and documentation, lowering administrative costs.

Besides, catching and resolving issues early can help avoid fines and expensive system downtime.

Global accessibility

Picture reporting and audits, just without all the paper spreadsheets and on-site visits. That’s what you get with a remote monitoring and control system. They let you oversee IT security compliance across multiple locations from one digital dashboard.

And with real-time data collected and saved automatically, there’s no need to print out reports or keep handwritten records.

Reduced risk

Finally, remote monitoring and control can help businesses mitigate risks that could lead to financial or organizational setbacks.

For example, automated alerts help you detect possible security breaches or regulatory violations. This reduces the likelihood of reputational damage, fines, and other legal consequences.

Real-world applications and success stories

Many businesses are already reaping the compliance benefits of remote monitoring and control. Here are a few examples.

• Healthcare company Integris Neuro supports medical staff by remotely monitoring patients’ brain activity in real time. TeamViewer enables instant access to critical patient data while staying fully HIPAA compliant.
• Cosmetics brand Aesop needed better data security and remote access control to comply with stricter regulations. With TeamViewer, Aesop now has full visibility of its IT systems, improving governance and risk management.
• Salmon producer Bakkafrost monitors and controls sensors, cameras, and feeding machines remotely. TeamViewer’s reporting and security features are crucial to Bakkafrost’s goal of achieving an ISO 27001 certification.
  

Overcoming challenges in adopting remote monitoring and control systems

Thinking about remote monitoring but unsure how to make it work for your business? You’re not alone. Here are some tips for tackling the main challenges.

We often hear from customers that legacy systems are a major obstacle to adopting modern technologies. A smart way to handle this is by integrating modern technology with legacy systems instead of trying to replace them entirely. To bridge the gap between new and existing systems, choose a scalable system that supports API integrations.

It's also important to be prepared to deal with resistance from employees. Often, staff members struggle to adapt to new processes, fear losing their jobs, or simply don’t like it when things change. You can address this by providing interactive training and involving your workforce early in the process. Make sure to clearly communicate how remote monitoring enhances their day-to-day work.

Another common concern is the cost of the initial setup. New technology always requires investment. But the long-term savings from increased efficiency, strengthened compliance, and reduced downtime far outweigh upfront expenses.

Bakkafrost is a great example of this. The company successfully modernized its remote monitoring system by choosing a scalable, easy-to-use solution and demonstrating immediate efficiency gains—such as the ability to access systems during off-hours.

The future of compliance with remote monitoring and control systems

Emerging technologies like IoT and AI are making remote monitoring faster, smarter, and more efficient. AI-powered analytics, for instance, can process massive amounts of data in real time. This lets them identify patterns, detect anomalies, and generate reports to improve decision-making.

But as technology evolves, so do regulations. Frameworks like the EU AI Act provide guidance to help businesses assess and mitigate risks. As an example, Anna notes, according to the GDPR, important decisions should never be made by AI alone.

TeamViewer’s AI features are a great example of AI’s ability to streamline repetitive and time-consuming tasks. They allow IT teams to improve documentation and track key metrics while staying compliant with regulations and SLAs.

With the recent acquisition of 1E, we’re further expanding our capabilities in endpoint automation and AI-driven monitoring. This will help our customers maximize efficiency while navigating complex regulatory landscapes.

Conclusion

Remote monitoring and control systems will be central to data privacy and IT security compliance in 2025 and beyond. By continuously collecting data and proactively identifying issues, these systems reduce manual reporting efforts and make it easier for businesses to meet compliance requirements.

One major advantage is the ability to collect, analyze, and document data from any location in real time. This minimizes manual workload and provides more accurate and in-depth insights than traditional methods.

Automated alerts further streamline compliance by immediately notifying teams of potential issues. They enable problems to be resolved before they escalate. This helps prevent downtime, data breaches, and regulatory fines.

Scalable and secure technology solutions can help you ensure long-term compliance and efficiency as regulations continue to evolve.