For most Americans, mobile devices have become a ubiquitous face of daily productivity. It is no wonder then that our confidence is only to be expected in the years to come. Current projections estimate 11.6 billion mobile devices by 2020, a 60% increase from 2015. And while this expanded connectivity will improve communication and efficient information sharing, the recent emergence of the “Krack” exploit is a reminder required for wifi connection. devices are far from impenetrable.
In the first quarter of 2017, Mcafee reported 1.5 million new mobile malware incidents, about one-tenth of all malware cases. Mobile devices, especially smartphones, are particularly vulnerable to these attacks. Although there are numerous vectors for infection, hacks often begin with spyware embedded in applications. Historically, mobile security management has not been a top priority in app design, and both Apple and Google have lacked transparency when removing problematic apps from their stores. Like many forms of malware, this embedded content can be slow to reveal itself, using its newfound visibility to slowly collect user information. This proliferation becomes problematic for businesses using an informal BYOD, bring your own device, policy. In these work environments, private company data is often open or transferred to personal devices that are not equipped with the necessary security infrastructure. This inadvertently puts company and customer information at risk and has the potential to jeopardize long-term productivity.
This begs the question – should mobility be sacrificed?
From a purely pragmatic point of view, most companies cannot afford a stationary workforce. The International Data Center predicts that mobile workers will grow from 96.2 million in 2015 to 105.4 million by 2020. To account for this inflation, businesses need an IT infrastructure that enables an environment secure, cloud-based workspace. This is where Microsoft Mobility Enterprise + Security comes in. Microsoft EMS combines identity and device management while monitoring threats to users and data. The result is a single sign-on that provides secure access to cloud and web applications. The result is an automated, constantly managed mobility system that:
Improve the security of your prem-ON and cloud-enabled environments
Protect information from unauthorized access – both internal and external
Implement policies to improve data security
Use behavior-based analytics for proactive cybersecurity
insights For a quick overview of Microsoft EMS, see the following video:
