Smart Phones usage is increasing in the corporate world and that’s due to the fact that we need to keep an instant access to work data, check emails on a regular note to stay updated and on a simultaneous note keep our social media status highly active for many reasons.
Even employers are encouraging this trend to allow flexibility to their employees, especially in the United Kingdom, where an employee who has worked for more than 26 weeks is eligible to work on a flexible note.
However, this newfound mobility has made enterprises deal with a new cyber threat called mobile security, as employees use the same devices to access corporate material.
In this digital age where malware threats like Ransomware are high on a serious note, cyber criminals are busy finding ways to exploit vulnerabilities in even the most secure of networks. As per a survey made in June 2016, Android users were able to choose between 2.2 million apps and Apple users had to select as many as 2 million.
So, the reality is that inclination towards flexible work has made us live outside the corporate firewall.
For those wondering how can mobiles generate security threats in corporate environments, here’s an explanation. In 2016, an astonishing 74 percent of security leaders said that they endured a breach as a result of a mobile security issue. The survey highlighted the fact that most of the data breaches were caused by apps that contain security vulnerabilities(38%), mobile apps containing malware(36%) and unsecured WiFi connections(30%).
As the threatscape is evolving at a fast pace, enterprise leaders cannot alone blame their IT security teams for not focusing on mobile security. They should also educate their employees on how their laxity in using mobiles as per norms can lead to a serious cyber threat. Creating awareness through proper training can help keep the businesses isolated from any kind of mobile threats in future.
At the same time, CIOs should also re-evaluate their company’s security strategy and should start thinking beyond the traditional permit of laptops and mobile devices. If BYOD policy exists in the company’s business development strategy, then corporate heads should build a business case from the ground up, reminding executives from time to time that how they themselves can put the entire business at risk by not practicing mobile security measures.
Finally, Corporate big wigs should understand the fact that they can keep their businesses isolated from cyber threats, only when the right security solutions are in place, and when employees are aware of the dangers of the today’s mobile culture.
