The use of mobile devices in the workplace has increased exponentially in recent years. The requirement for employee flexibility has seen a large increase in the use of laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and utilised for work purposes.
However, with greater use of mobile devices in the workplace it is important to consider mobile security strategies, to prevent potential threats to corporate information.
Mobile devices offer different threats from traditional IT infrastructure, and it is therefore necessary to adapt security protocols accordingly:
Strategies to improve mobile security within your organisation include:
Auditing:
It is necessary to undertake a risk assessment audit on your current infrastructure to determine vulnerable points within your organisations network.
Determine which applications mobile users need access to:
A company needs to determine whether mobile users require access to web, client, or server based applications. This will enable a better decision making process relating to appropriate security technologies.
Utilise Encryption:
Encryption ensures that it is significantly more difficult for difficult for hackers to steal data.
Ensure the use of passwords and remote wipe capabilities:
If a mobile device is lost or stolen, password protection and remote wipe functionality ensures that company data is not easily accessed.
Limit the use Third-Party Applications:
This involves setting protocols limiting the installation of potentially malicious third party applications.
Create Firewall Policies:
Companies should set up firewall policies designed to stop potential network traffic threats from mobile devices.
Disable Bluetooth when not in use:
Hackers target smartphones with Bluetooth capabilities, due to default always on Bluetooth connection settings. Disabling Bluetooth when not in use, reduces this threat.
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