Beyond The Four Walls: Essential Mobile Security for Businesses

The internet has revolutionised the way we do business. Securing your company used to be all about keeping things within the four walls of your office. A firewall and antivirus software could keep threats at bay and this was widely accepted as sufficient for IT security. Then the mobile device came along and turned this four-walls theory on its head. With devices coming in and out all the time, accessing sensitive emails over coffee shop WiFi networks and falling between the cracks of internet security, the issue of mobile security doesn’t come up nearly as often as it should. Every company should have a mobile security policy in place to protect sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.

Update your company mobile security policy

Every business should have a mobile policy that includes security provisions. This should outline what is and what isn’t acceptable on a company mobile device. This includes phones, tablets and laptops as they can all be taken away from the office and are therefore at higher risk. Your policy should also specify if users can access company data from their own devices.

Designate responsibility for mobile security

Things like keeping software and antivirus software up-to-date can often fall between the cracks, particularly for personal and mobile devices. Deciding who is responsible and making sure they are aware of this responsibility is essential. This can become part of the mobile security policy and should be checked frequently to ensure employees are compliant.

Switch to the cloud

The cloud provides unrivalled security for users on the go. If you want to keep your data secure, then storing all of your sensitive data on a cloud account is far safer than saving it on a mobile device. If your phone, laptop or tablet is ever stolen and you are using a cloud account you can simply revoke access and your data will remain secure.

Use data encryption

In 2012, a NASA employee’s laptop containing the details of 10,000 employees was stolen from their car. While the laptop did have password protection, it wasn’t encrypted, which meant the data was at risk. If it can happen to NASA, it can happen to you. Encrypting all devices is an essential step for mobile security but it is often overlooked as password protection is seen as sufficient.

Mobile security is an essential component of any company security plan if you want to keep your business your business. With more and more employees switching to mobile devices and working outside of the four walls of the business, it makes sense to put a mobile security plan in place to keep your data secure.