Many employees today use multiple devices in their work, accessing company networks or company data with tablets, laptops, PCs, mobile phones and applications – all with varying degrees of security.
Mobility certainly can be a way to improve productivity; it also can be a recipe for disaster. It all depends on how well you manage the mobile devices accessing your data and networks.
Though it may not seem like a priority, if mobile devices are being used and you don’t have a way to manage these devices, then you’re playing with fire. It’s only a matter of time before something happens.
5 reasons you need to manage mobility:
- Data exposure. All the sensitive corporate data residing in applications or on a mobile device (like customer lists, orders, passwords and even emails) could be lost if the device becomes corrupted or lost. A Mobile Device Management platform (MDM) allows you to remotely wipe this data protecting you from having sensitive information fall into the wrong hands.
- Identity management and authentication. How do you know the individual accessing your network from Singapore on Bob’s tablet is, in fact, Bob? MDMs offer you the ability to easily authenticate individuals accessing your network, applications or information regardless of the platform or device.
- Device Corruption. Any time a device accesses an unsecure or infected network, it can become corrupted and pass malware on to every network it touches – like yours. MDM platforms protect your network and assets by detecting and quarantining corrupted devices. This is particularly popular with universities that have thousands of students connecting to their networks after being on unsecure hotspots.
- Business agility. When it comes to your network security, think fortress, not prison. The more flexible and inclusive you can be in securing remote access to your network, the more productive your team members can be. Without MDMs, companies are relegated to lockdown-style protective measures restricting the ability to be mobile or inhibiting the free-flow of information.
- Compliance with industry regulations. Industry regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI) all have requirements regarding information security. Ignoring these regulations can bring unwanted audits and fines. Implementing the right mobile device management platform, with expert assistance, can easily put a company into compliance.
When you set your organization up with the right framework and infrastructure to secure mobile activity, you can allow freedom of movement and reap the benefits of a mobile environment without unnecessarily restricting employee movement. However, if you continue to ignore the need for mobile management, you could find yourself experiencing some nasty repercussions. Just make sure you have an expert guiding you to select the right platform as the wrong choice will do little to protect you.
