Are You Managing Your Business’ Mobile Devices Properly?

It’s easy to forget about the mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, that power your organization, but the fact remains that they are an extension of your office’s infrastructure. Just like how you would secure an in-house desktop or laptop, you must also secure your mobile devices, as they present a considerable security risk otherwise. The key to doing so is with a comprehensive Mobile Device Management (MDM) strategy.

Understanding the Security Gaps

Mobile devices are definitely less protected than your standard in-house network, which is why it’s important to understand just what’s at risk with these security gaps.

Mobile devices are often used to connect to local wireless networks, some of them not being safe or secure. Unprotected devices are also at risk of downloading unvetted applications and falling behind on security patches and updates. And then there’s the threat that comes from losing a mobile device while out and about or on a business trip; there’s no telling the damage someone can do should the device fall into the hands of a cybercriminal.

It’s unreasonable to depend on each individual employee managing the security of their own devices, which is where mobile device management comes into play.

The Benefits of Mobile Device Management

With MDM, you get a centralized platform for securing, managing, and monitoring your business’ mobile devices.

This kind of power lets you build security policies that can be enforced across all enrolled devices, whether they are company-owned or employee-owned (like with a Bring Your Own Device policy). MDM allows you to remotely configure devices and set up security settings that will ultimately keep the device safe. For example, you can set up password complexity requirements, screen lock timeouts, and deploy or manage applications (and their permissions).

MDM also offers the nuclear option, where you can remotely lock a lost or stolen device or wipe its data to keep sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.

Streamlining Management and Compliance

MDM is also helpful for streamlining the management of your devices while achieving compliance with various regulatory authorities.

For example, you can push out software updates to devices as needed, configure email accounts, or troubleshoot device issues remotely, which aids in saving IT resources and time. MDM also helps ensure you stay well within the protection regulations of HIPAA and GDPR. Since MDM helps to enforce security policies and keeps an audit trail of device activity, it’s easy to show you’re keeping tabs on what’s going on with your devices and how they use data.

Ultimately, it’s important to note that MDM is more about making sure devices remain secure than it is about cracking down on your users’ devices.

Get Started with MDM Today

Worried that your mobile devices aren’t being managed properly? Integrid can help you build an appropriate MDM solution that suits your needs. Learn more by calling us at (336) 900-0030.