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10 Steps CIOs Can Take to Bolster Mobile Security

By Don Reisinger on 2010-08-04


Now more than ever, companies are allowing their employees to use smartphones to connect to enterprise email and business intelligence so they can be productive while on the go. From a productivity perspective, smartphones have revolutionized the corporate world. Yet, there is a dark side to smartphones in the corporate computing environment that every CIO and IT staff worry about: Security. Some employees don't have the level of knowledge about security that the CIO does, and when these workers decide to browse the Web, they generally don't consider the ramifications of their actions. Now is the time to discuss mobile-security techniques designed to keep the company safe. If you follow these 10 simple steps, you should be well on your way to ensuring that all the sensitive data that malicious hackers want will not slip out while your employees are on the road.

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Create A Use Policy – and Enforce itTell employees how they should use their smartphones. An effective use policy means there are no excuses for sensitive information leaks.

Use Security AppsSecurity apps are available for BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android devices and should be downloaded to every employee's smartphone. Even a single strong encryption app helps protect data.

Stick With Known PlatformsDo your research to see what level of administrative control each smartphone platform offers. Knowing what you're getting into is integral to the mobile security of your company.

Consider AlternativesA Windows 7-based netbook has the same security controls available for corporate computers. Apple's iPad offers several administrative controls.

Maintain the FirewallMalicious hackers want to use that mobile phone to access to your network and get to valuable data. A strong corporate firewall shouldn't allow any smartphones in without proper rights.

Authenticate, Authenticate, AuthenticateForce all smartphone traffic to authenticate to the network and to all systems on that network. Given how easy it is to spoof a legitimate device, this is integral to playing it safe.

The Value of a Good EducationInvest in classes that teach your employees about what can happen when a security breach occurs. Share best practices and make usage rules and policies crystal clear.

Jailbreaking Will Wreak HavocMost security experts say that jailbreaking a device, such as an iPhone, will remove up to 80 percent of the product's security features. Never allow employees to jailbreak devices.

Keep Data Off the DeviceMandate that employees sync devices with computers as often as possible to ensure that mission-critical data is kept off their smartphones. Hackers can't steal data if it isn't available.

Assume Any OS Can Be HackedNo mobile operating system is 100 percent safe from a savvy hacker. Be diligent, do your homework, and implement the right security solutions.

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