As society became technologically mobile, it didn’t take long for personal and employer-owned smartphones and tablet computers to seep into work life. No longer punching in at 9 a.m. and out at 5 p.m., the workforce is constantly connected to their jobs through their “tiny computers” – which means for many employees, they’re also connected to the company network. While this is attractively productive, it also has its share of mobile security issues that need to be addressed.

Data leaks rank as one of the biggest concerns, as does having your data held hostage in a ransomware attack. The concern lies in the fact that if a company can’t recover its losses within a few short months of an attack, they generally fold. Therefore, the predominant strategy today isn’t to sit back and respond to an attack – it’s to take proactive measures to avoid being compromised.

It’s through these mobile devices that so many companies have been burned. Whether via a lost or stolen device, malware, or any other type of attack, mobile devices have been the “wide open window” through which the criminals waltz.

The Cost of Convenience

Mobile devices have transformed our daily lives because of the ease at which they can be carried anywhere we go. Similarly, they’re easy to use, as apps are built to access with the push of a button. Implementing security measures often takes some of the convenience out of the process, which can be a barrier to adopting more robust mobile security solutions.

It isn’t until an organization gets burned that they finally adopt solutions, such as multi-step authentication processes, and it can be a costly lesson. Making an investment, including establishing a mobile security team that looks into various methods through which devices can be secured, pays off big in the end.

Threat Assessment

Knowing what lurks in cyber space and what is threatening organizations of all sizes and in all industries can help you guard against attack. The following are some of the most pervasive of the bunch that deserve more attention:

• Native application-based attack including malware, malicious software, and attacks that give the cyber criminal a “back door” into your system.
• Spyware that presents a data privacy issue via seemingly legitimate applications.
• Web-based applications, which make cookie stealing and phishing scams much easier to perpetrate.
• Rogue application downloads that occur when a user is duped into downloading something they think is useful, yet functions to infiltrate the network.

There are so many risks associated with each individual device, such as distorted short message service messages that can crash a device, various viruses and worms that easily wind their way into your system improperly deleting files, not to mention losing or having a device stolen.

To add a layer of protection, it makes sense to partner with an agent that knows mobile security like the back of their hand. At eXemplify, we have years of experience assisting clients and a wide breadth of knowledge about the technology that keeps your data safe. We can help you take steps toward a more secure mobile environment. Contact us and let’s talk about creating safeguards that matter.