Mobile Security is Still a Vital Part of Operations
February 09, 2016
By Steve Anderson
Contributing Writer
Some vendors in unified communications (UC) these days have been seen as putting a greater focus on mobility. Yet mobility cannot come at the cost of security, which is every bit as vital a process as it ever was. Whether required by law, or simply required by market demands, we must all remember the importance of security for mobility.
One of the biggest new calls for security comes from our increased reliance on the cloud. The sheer amount of data that can be stored in the cloud, and referred back to as needed later, makes it a versatile and powerful new addition to everyday operations. It improves mobility, while at the same time reducing the need for on-site storage. Better yet, storing data in the cloud offers some useful new security; a stolen device no longer necessarily means all the data on the device is lost with it.
The device must still be protected against outside intrusion, because if it isn't, that lost device becomes a ticket to the cloud where all the data is stored. The same effect is had as if all the data were stored on the device. Moves to biometric security are set to help here, as Apple (News - Alert) has already done so with its Touch ID system, and Microsoft is looking to follow up in Windows 10's Hello function.
Remember that security isn't just about perimeter defense, and consider on-board encryption tools for mobile devices to help protect such against loss or theft. Stolen data does no one any good if it's unreadable, and that encryption can provide a crucial layer of defense if the perimeter is ever breached. Many devices have “crypto chips” built right in, but this isn't often found on lower-end Android (News - Alert) devices, so the notion of an “acceptable” smartphone for bring your own device (BYOD) use may still be the way to go.
An old saying notes that what one engineer can do, another can undo, so don't make the mistake of thinking that all those new security measures aren't actively being broken as we speak. Somewhere, some black-hat knows that if he or she can be the first to defeat biometric encryption, he or she could be rich overnight. There's an incredible motivation to break security, even where financial reward isn't available, thanks to the sheer notoriety. Regardless of the motive, there's every reason to break security, so there must in turn be every reason to maintain it. Even the best security may fail tomorrow, so the next generation of advancements needs to be brought out to defend our systems and protect our data.
Mobility is important; a mobile workforce needs mobile tools, and the mobile workforce has too many demonstrated benefits to readily pass on. A mobile workforce also needs secure tools, and as long as security keeps pace with mobility, we'll have the best of all worlds to work with.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi