While company security regarding data has always been important, the challenge of mobile device management has elevated the risk to a whole new level.
As the use of mobile devices for work-related tasks continues to rise, the security risks and associated costs do so as well. This is largely because many employees simply do not understand the vulnerability of data and information once it leaves your network. It is important to educate yourself and your organization as to how strategic mobile device management can save money and guard against attacks on your data security.
While you may have strong security protocols for your desktop technology, the statistics regarding how people are actually working may be problematic.
Approximately half of employees today are using their own laptops to do their jobs, while 68 percent are using their own smart phones and 69 percent are bringing their own tablets. With so much corporate information being kept on these devices – customer data, intellectual property, confidential contracts, proprietary information, billing information – it is easy to see the security risk as that information quite literally “walks out of the building” every night.
- Both Android and iOS devices have been successfully infected with spyware capable of gaining access to corporate data, GPS information and voice activation applications. While the software giants continually work to develop patches and work-arounds, the likelihood of all employees applying updates on a timely basis is slim. Think of it – a device is infected and then carried into the Board meeting, where voice activation is initiated and your confidentiality is instantly compromised.
- New malware can rapidly turn thousands of mobile devices into a botnet – a network of private devices infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners’ knowledge; for instance, to send spam messages en masse.
- You may not think that adware would be a security risk. But ad and click fraud in mobile devices is a growing concern for business organizations. Simply by getting one mobile user to click on a phishing message, a malicious app is downloaded and hackers are given access to the phone holder’s credentials. Once they have those, they can gain access to any network the mobile device owner is a part of. Spyware can be spread in the same way, and devices which record their owners’ every move can provide criminals with devastating information.
- It is more important than ever to rein in your employee’s use of mobile devices for work-related applications. Although asking them not to use these devices is unreasonable – likely impossible – you can set up protocols for access to company data away from the office.Training sessions with employees should take place to teach them keep their devices more secure, both with password protections and two tiered logons. They should also be instructed on how to spot and avoid malware phishing and spyware scams; as well as how to always update their OS software when prompted.Your organization may also consider installing a company-wide VPN (virtual private network) which must be activated in order to access company data. Whatever you do, be sure to remain vigilant that all employees who are given remote access to the network. For the most critical of employees, especially hose who travel, you may wish to provide them with company mobile devices – giving them the flexibility they need but pre-loaded with protections.
There is no doubt that mobile device management is as difficult to corral as it is important. Call Alliance IT to set up a consultation to discuss how we can help you to ascertain the risk to your Sarasota business, and the steps we can take to help protect you.
