Jan 20, 2017

Mobile Security Tech News - Is Your Organization Protected?

If it seems in tech news that 2016 was the year of the hacker, there is probably some truth to that.  According to Gartner's recently published report, "Predicts 2017: Endpoint and Mobile Security," the increase in attacks on mobile devices are exposing their vulnerabilities.  The lack of commitment to mobile security has made attacks by malware such as Pegasus and XcodeGhost just that much easier.

Mobile devices are attractive to hackers due to the plethora of sensitive information found in app data, the camera, call and text history and the microphone.  Coupled with the fact that many users have been slow to adopt security software for their devices.  They either don't use a security code to protect their device at all or they use a simple password like "1234" for protection which essentially creates the perfect storm for nefarious actors.

So what can organizations do to protect themselves from security issues from mobile devices?  One of the first things to do is to recognize that mobile devices require as much anti-virus and anti-malware software as do laptops and desktop computers.  Organizations need to define their policy regarding BYOD (bring your own devices) and either ban their use or ensure the devices become part of their enterprise mobility management (EMM).

Those in charge of implementing security for organizational networks and other computer equipment need to spend as much time researching issues and software solutions for mobile devices and develop MTD (mobile threat defense) initiatives.  They need to ensure employees are trained on the use of strong passwords for all devices they use and train them on how to spot and report any suspicious activity that might arise from their mobile devices.

Those organizations who are proactive and stay on top of mobile security, along with security issues from more traditional equipment like servers and laptops, will most likely stay one step ahead of hackers.  Contact us to stay on top of protecting your organization from security threats.