Applications & Infrastructure
Secure Desktop
A secure desktop platform for your most sensitive work
Administrators and privileged users access your most sensitive systems every day. If those sessions run on the same hardware – or even the same OS instance – as email, web browsing, and everyday productivity, a single compromise can escalate to total environment control.
- A Privileged Access Workstation (PAW) strategy isolates high-risk work onto dedicated, hardened devices with strict security baselines, conditional access, and application control – so a compromised user device cannot reach your control plane.
- We bridge the gap between concept and implementation. Many organisations know they need PAW but never get there because the complexity is too high. We make it practical and operational.
- We design for both physical and virtual PAW scenarios – including remote privileged access – so your security model works from anywhere without sacrificing isolation.
The Problem
Why standard workstations are not enough
Admin accounts on standard devices
When the same workstation is used for email, web browsing, and domain administration, a single phishing link can give an attacker the keys to the entire environment. This is the number one attack vector in targeted compromises.
No separation between privilege tiers
Global admin credentials used from the same session as everyday productivity. If the workstation is compromised, the attacker inherits whatever privileges the user holds – often including Azure AD, Intune, Exchange, and on-premises AD.
Compliance requirements demand isolation
Frameworks like CIS, NIST, and national cloud security standards increasingly require that privileged access is performed from dedicated, hardened devices. Meeting these requirements with standard fleet devices is no longer acceptable.
Developer and data-handling scenarios
It is not just IT admins. Developers with production access, finance teams handling sensitive data, and anyone working with regulated information should be operating from a platform designed for that level of trust.
Remote and hybrid work complicates physical control
PAW was historically a physical-device-in-the-office concept. Modern privileged access must work securely from anywhere – including home offices – without sacrificing the isolation model.
Complexity discourages adoption
Many organisations know they need PAW but never implement it – because the perceived complexity is too high and the internal expertise is not there. The concept is well-understood; the implementation is where it stalls.
What we can help with
Production-ready privileged access environments with strict isolation, tiered access, and zero-trust controls - from design through ongoing operations.
Tier Model Design
- Separation of Control Plane, Management Plane, and User/Data Plane
- Role-based access definitions for admins, developers, and data handlers
Hardened Device Configuration
- Dedicated hardware or virtual PAW builds with strict policy baselines
- WDAC application control (whitelisting) and network isolation
- USB, peripheral, and removable media controls
Identity & Authentication Controls
- Dedicated admin accounts with Entra PIM (just-in-time access)
- Phishing-resistant MFA (FIDO2, Windows Hello for Business)
- Conditional access policies scoped to PAW devices only
Virtual PAW & Remote Access
- Azure Virtual Desktop for cloud-hosted privileged sessions
- Jump server architecture for on-premises tier separation
- Secure remote PAW access without VPN dependencies
Compliance & Monitoring
- CIS and NIST framework alignment for privileged workstations
- Continuous compliance monitoring and drift detection
- Audit logging and session recording for privileged operations
- Red-team-style validation of PAW isolation
Operational Handover
- Complete documentation of tier model and access policies
- Runbooks for device provisioning, incident response, and break-glass
- Training for IT operations and security teams
Architecture
Tiered Access Model
Not all privileged work requires the same level of isolation. VENZO can implement a practical tier model that matches the level of protection to the sensitivity of the access.
Recommended for:
Domain controllers, Azure AD, PKI
The highest tier. Access only from fully dedicated PAW devices with maximum isolation. No internet, no email, no productivity tools – only the admin consoles required for Tier 0 operations.
– WDAC application control enforced
– Network-level isolation from standard fleet
– Credential Guard and hardware-backed attestation
Recommended for:
Intune, Exchange, Azure services, databases
Service administration performed from hardened devices with elevated security baselines. Conditional access ensures only compliant, managed PAW devices can reach these admin portals.
– Hardened Intune-managed device
– Conditional access scoped to PAW group
– Attack surface reduction rules applied
– Separate admin accounts with PIM activation
Recommended for:
Helpdesk, endpoint support, local admin
Support teams who need local admin or remote access to end-user devices. Enhanced security over standard fleet, but designed for practical day-to-day ServiceDesk operations.
– Enhanced security baseline over standard desktop
– LAPS-managed local admin credentials
– Scoped remote access tools only
– Session recording for audit trail
Our Approach
Our approach won't surprise you. But our sleeves-up attitude might.
1. Discover
Assess the current landscape – devices, apps, identities, security posture – and identify what is managed, what is exposed, and what is at risk.
2. Build & POC
A working proof of concept, fast. Customers are consistently surprised by how quickly we can deliver something real to test.
3. Design & Harden
Refine the architecture together – security baselines, policy structure, application packaging – informed by what the POC revealed.
4. Pilot & Roll out
Controlled pilot with real end users, phased rollout, structured training, complete documentation, and handover so your team owns it.
Security, compliance, and ownership as standard.
Security by design
CIS Level 1 baselines, Defender hardening, conditional access, and zero-trust principles baked into every platform we build.
Compliance & audit readiness
Measurable security posture – tracked continuously against CIS, Microsoft Baselines, or your own frameworks.
Knowledge transfer
Training, runbooks, and structured handover so your team owns and operates the platform independently. That is part of the deliverable, not an afterthought.
Since its establishment in 2007, VENZO has demonstrated deep expertise in Microsoft cloud and hybrid cloud solutions, showcasing a proven track record in successful infrastructure modernization and full stack Microsoft technology implementation. Our comprehensive security and compliance capabilities are backed by our Azure Expert MSP status and an advanced specialization in Windows Server and SQL Migration.
Choose VENZO for production-ready privileged access that your team can own and operate.
- Hardened PAW devices with zero-trust isolation.
- Physical and virtual PAW options for remote work scenarios.
- PIM, FIDO2, and conditional access for privileged identities.
- CIS and NIST framework alignment with continuous monitoring.
- Full handover with runbooks, training, and operational documentation.
AI and digital transformation requires a data-driven, secure, scalable, truly human and holistic approach.
VENZO combines deep expertise in the latest AI-powered technologies with strategic direction, protection of data and assets, and strong execution power. Our sleeves-up attitude ensures rapid, longer lasting results and more value for money.
There's never been a better time for Tech. Change. Today.
What we do
Are your business operations fully automated, data-driven, and leveraging AI?
Take full advantage of the breakthroughs in AI and gain insights that yield better and faster decisions with the latest data, analytics and automation technologies.
Every organization has digital or physical business processes that could be automated and improved. VENZO helps our clients transform through automation and better processes, actionable analytics & predictive algorithms, and the latest data hub and fabric technologies.
Reap the benefits of a fully automated and data-driven business excellence model for your organization with a little help from VENZO.
Is your organisation’s IT security strategy and setup compliant, cost-efficient, automated and designed to prevent human error?
We combine the latest security technologies from Microsoft with a pragmatic approach that doesn’t stand in the way of daily tasks.
Improve governance, risk & compliance levels, take advantage of our Managed Extended Detection & Response services, and take advantage of technology for foolproof Identity & Access Management (IAM), Data Loss Protection and Preventions (DLP), Data Governance, Information Protection, Cloud Security and Modern Endpoint Management.
Together, we can reduce risk and make security tech work for you.
Does your digital foundation support your business strategy and the optimal user experiences?
Enable your employees with productivity anywhere and deliver seamlessly connected, scalable and secure applications.
We are experts in Microsoft 365 and Azure, and help clients with successfully implementing and taking advantage of Modern Work, innovative enterprise applications, data and application platforms, as well as hybrid architecture and IoT.
We are also a HiBob partner for implementation of the latest and best in people tech and HR tools, advising on employee experience and growth with Microsoft VIVA and Workplace Analytics.
Is your organization ready for change so you can realize all the potential benefits of your digital transformation?
IT today is part of much larger digital transformations. Changes that require a deep of understanding of both current and emerging technologies, as well as strategic business priorities.
Knowing how to make the right changes happen and how to realize the potential value is key to the success of your digital transformation projects.
VENZO helps our clients succeed with digital change through strategy & design, change & execution, training & adoption, and decision intelligence.
