With over 60% of businesses globally allowing employees to use personal devices to access corporate data, Mobile Device Management (MDM) helps companies monitor and maintain their security.
Why MDM?
Essentially, MDM aims to prevent unauthorised and non-compliant access to company infrastructure and to establish the compliant use of mobile devices operating within an organisation. Companies who cannot manage their mobile fleets face significant security risks which, as discussed previously have catastrophic consequences - possibly costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and carrying legal implications regarding compliance. To avoid this, companies need to improve how they manage and monitor devices and understand what security measures may already exist within their fleet. For example, iOS devices require password protection to enable encryption. Without a password, iOS devices can be accessed by anyone, leaving their data and internal accesses vulnerable to unauthorised parties; especially if the device is lost or stolen.
By utilising MDM to enforce password protection and recovery protocols, companies can avoid this risk and secure the iOS devices in their fleet. In fact, Tim Fussell, CEO of imei reminds us that “MDM is essential to recognising the true security benefits that Apple and Samsung have built into their standard operating environments”. MDM also enables companies to:
- Reduce the risk associated with unauthorised access and inappropriate use of devices and data.
- Remote tracking and wipe for lost and stolen devices to ensure that data is locked and removed before it can be misused.
- Separation of corporate and personal data for employees using their own devices to access company information and insights.
- Providing businesses with the tools for real-time visibility regarding their mobile environment. This includes device user information, attempted log-ins and compliance across applications.
- Enforcing policies to manage compliance, risk, and recovery.
Benefits of MDM
Not only does MDM protect against data breaches but they can be used to improve visibility for a company and enable a more efficient security protocols and threat responses. This is done via a central console that can be accessed, monitored, and utilised by administrators. The result is a safer, more productive work environment that aligns the use of mobile devices with existing infrastructure and reduces the risk of human error by ensuring that devices are compliant with current security updates.
A 2017 Cisco report on Mobile Device Management supports the importance of this, saying, “the key to protecting [mobile] devices to reduce overall risk lies in greater visibility and more dynamic control....” The visibility afforded by MDM helps companies improve security for three regularly used corporate functions:
- Communications: MDM allows companies to integrate existing email and communication infrastructure with an MDM environment.
- Documents: MDM can restrict, disable, and monitor document use and activity, even on personal devices, to secure corporate data.
- Browsing: Cyber threats are a risk that all companies should be aware of when engaging with cloud markets. With MDM, a company administrator can utilise secure browsing, URL filtering, and additional security measures.
Each of these functions are frequently accessed by mobile devices, and each can be managed by Mobile Device Management solutions to help deliver the successful, secure management of devices within a company.
By preventing unauthorised access to corporate information, MDM solutions help reduce the risk of losses associated with a security breach. Get in touch with the team at imei today, and discover more about how MDM solutions can be a security enabler for your company.
References
Infosec, Bring Your Own Device Report
Security Intelligence, BYOD Mobile Security Insights Trends and Stats
Cisco, Identity Services Engine
