It’s safe to say that all organizations understand that security is critical—a need-to-have. But when you examine the functions of technology across business practice areas and departments, it becomes necessary to consider all the areas security touches; mobile security being one of the most key.

The average person has somewhere between 60-90 apps installed on their smartphone (9to5Mac), many of which are necessary for daily work tasks. With mobile devices being so intrinsic to work, establishing an effective mobile security strategy is as important as security for traditional platforms like desktop computers and servers. Given the reliance on mobile devices, it’s a prime platform for malicious actors: nation states, ransomware developers and identity thieves, to name a few (McAfee). Consequently, mobile security due diligence is of the utmost importance.

There are many components to the paradigm of mobile computing which engender security risks and the consequential need for a proper MDM/EMM platform. The two primary drivers for the criticality of mobile security in today’s digital business can be summed up as such:

1. People are comfortable accessing an increasing amount of sensitive data using mobile devices.

   This steady uptick is largely influenced by user expectations. For instance, the average user is accustomed to accessing personal financial information or their company HR app company on their device. Arguably, the natural risk perception is lower among employees. With user expectations becoming stronger, companies recognize it’s a productivity booster to allow employees to conduct work with sensitive info on mobile devices.

2. The form factor of mobile devices makes them as risky as they are convenient.
   From smartphones to tablets, much of the convenience of mobile devices comes from the size. Most of us carry at least one small supercomputer daily. Concurrently, these devices are easy to lose track of. The form factor combined with increasing sensitivity of data stored on mobile devices contribute to the need for better mobile security.

The fact of the matter is mobile devices are a serious liability when there’s no technological framework in place to identify sensitive and/or protected data and implement controls for enforcing policies. Security risks surface when mobile devices go unmanaged. If your IT team fails to extend security controls down to mobile devices and capture all connected devices, a glaring entry point for malicious actors opens.

Remember: the key to minimizing security risks in your organization is through the implementation of a consistent, comprehensive mobile management strategy.

Mobile security is a crucial component of your communications infrastructure and sometimes even the best IT organizations struggle to meet the complexities of mobile management. Working with a partner like Acuity can make it easy. Contact us for a consultation. We're here to help.