The following is a guest contribution from mobile technology expert Steve Brumer, Partner at 151 Advisors – an advisory and consulting firm for mobile, wireless and web-based software and technology companies. Brumer’s company is the organizer of the “App-solutely Security: The State of Mobile Security” seminar that will take place at CTIA 2013.
The largest mobile-focused conference in the industry, Mobile World Congress (MWC), has come and gone with mobile security standing out as a key focus area for the industry. IT departments are faced with a growing number of mobile devices (both company-issued and personal) infiltrating the workplace, in turn creating tremendous security challenges for organizations needing to securely manage mobile users, devices and data.
In response to the issues, challenges and vulnerabilities faced by consumers, businesses, application vendors, device manufacturers and mobile operators, the experts at 151 Advisors have identified several challenges and opportunities for stakeholders to protect themselves and prepare for a security-conscious future.
1. Mobile operators and device manufacturers’ role in mobile security
Mobile operators are taking steps to protect data passing from apps and devices to the network and beyond. In addition, smartphone and tablet device manufacturers have increasingly deployed built-in device security features to protect, secure and encrypt end user data as mobile devices become the primary computing and storage device for sensitive business, financial and personal data.
2. M2M wireless security
As the “internet of things” expands and more and more machines and fixed mobile devices depend on wireless data networks, the need for robust security measures for M2M connectivity is increasingly critical. Stakeholders should identify ways for strengthening security for wireless communications at the various layers of the communications stack to help all the players in the ecosystem become jointly accountable for the collective security.
3. Security threats and vulnerabilities and how consumers can minimize their risks
Mobile devices have become more personal than ever, containing everything from private email messages to credit card information. All of this information can be monitored, tracked and potentially hacked. Automatically locking a device with a password is a good start, but there are several tactics, like the ability to remotely delete emails and photos from the phone if it’s lost or stolen, that consumers can take to minimize their risks and keep their personal information and devices safe and secure.
4. Enterprise approaches to securing and managing mobility
The proliferation of smart devices in the enterprise – especially the surge in employee-owned devices – is overwhelming IT teams trying to balance users’ anytime, anywhere mobile access needs. The constantly changing landscape of mobile device vendors and operating systems, plus the increasing use of these tools as primary computing devices, further compounds the complexities for enterprises seeking a unified global approach to mobile device management. The good news is there are a variety of solutions available to address the needs of organizations so IT professionals must evaluate available solutions to find the best one that meets their needs and their organization’s policies.
About the author:
Steve Brumer is an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience in the wireless/mobile space. Before joining 151 Advisors Steve co-founded Wireless Rain serving as CEO/President. He serves as a Board Member of Maverick Wireless, Georgia Technology Council, Mobile Enterprise Magazine, and FieldDispatch.com. CTIA’s Wireless Internet Caucus & the Enterprise Mobility Foundation. Steve is an active presenter/speaker in the wireless world, having spoken on wireless technology, products and future trends at CTIA, Wireless IT, CIO Symposium, C3 Expo & AFSM.