Table of Contents

Introduction

Data is the new oil- this is a phrase quoted by Clive Humbly in 2006 highlighting that as mankind propels towards advancements every day, the volume of raw data around us increases exponentially. Such forms of data are present all around us; in our phones, tablets, laptops and all other smart devices that are connected to a particular network and often, this data could also be intellectual property or confidential information which is not meant to be accessible to the general public. This directly jeopardizes the privacy of such major data on our smart devices. This is where Mobile Security plays a crucial and imperative role.

What is Mobile Security?

Now, what is Mobile security? It is a set of measures and software which protects the sensitive data present on mobile devices such as mobile phones, tablets, IPADs, wearable devices, laptops when connected to a public or enterprise network. In layman’s terms, Mobile security makes sure that a non-employee or an unknown device is restricted from accessing corporate data or private information is present on such smart devices.

Why is mobile security important?

As more and more organizations now store and transmit their data through smart devices for better accessibility and communication, it puts them at a greater risk for security breach and potential loss as data present on online devices attracts cybercriminals and non-ethical hackers who could essentially leak such information against the financial gain. Thus, to prevent any unprecedented disclosure of important data, mobile security has become more important for enterprises.

How does mobile security work?

Implementation of mobile security practices depends on the device and its operating system (OS). Operating systems such as Macintosh and windows have security firewalls that protect confidential data present in the device when connected to the internet. For accessing data on enterprise devices, many organizations impose lock passwords and biometric authentication for employees, making sure only the registered employees of that particular organization can access this data. Enterprises also establish a VPN (a virtual private network) or private network in their office space, which enables them to restrict any mobile devices from connecting to public networks wirelessly. This allows the IT system of the company to monitor the transmission and usage data amongst employees, in the office.

What are the benefits of mobile security?

Mobile security comes with obvious benefits such as it provides one of the best solutions to the security breach dilemma every organization or individuals face every day. Mobile security can be imposed by small companies since mobile security best practices can be put to use at a cheap cost, enabling organizations to protect their confidential data with low investments.

What are the challenges of mobile security? (Threats)

However, alongside benefits, it does have some drawbacks as well. The types of smart devices used at work are increasing exponentially, and mobile security may not be optimized for implementation on all devices. Adding onto that, mobile security also needs to be updated daily, in order to combat the vast variants of potential threats that could harm the company’s confidential data (e.g.: malware attacks, ransomware) This would mean that the IT division of the enterprise would have to actively update their mobile security practices daily to ensure optimum protection of their private data

Mobile device security products

Mobile security further trickles down to another specific concept of Mobile device management. MDM or mobile device management is software that allows the IT administrators to control, secure and introduce certain policies to smartphones, tablets, laptops or other devices. Some of the best-known mobile security devices or MDM services available in the market are Google endpoint management, Microsoft enterprise mobility and N-able remote monitoring and management (imposition of IT policies and regulations on employee devices).