| |||||||||
| |||||||||
Current Filter: >>>>>> BYOD - How to make it your friend Editorial Type: Industry Focus Date: 11-2013 Views: 4456 Key Topics: Security BYOD Security Audits Risk Management CYOD Key Companies: Dimension Data VASCO Bradford Networks Kaseya Azzurri Communications Key Products: Key Industries: Education | |||
| BYOD - bring your own device - is enjoying enormous growth and that is likely only to accelerate. However, opinion is still divided as to whether it is a force for good or bad. Brian Wall reports
The massive gap between the number of personal devices and applications accessing corporate IT networks, and security audits of the applications being touched by these mobile devices, is now leaving IT leaders struggling to solve the associated security problems. That's according to the Dimension Data Secure Enterprise Mobility Report, which reveals that, despite a massive 82% of respondents saying that their organisations' employees are using personal devices and applications for work, only 32% have conducted security audits of applications touched by mobile devices. Moreover, an alarming 90% of survey participants said that they do not have the necessary capability to stop employees from using their personal mobile devices to access enterprise systems on their own - even if they wanted to. This suggests that IT leaders are struggling to solve the security problems stemming from supporting BYOD (bring your own device) and enterprise mobility amid an explosion of personal devices and applications accessing the network.
KEY BENEFITS The Dimension Data Secure Enterprise Mobility Report - which surveyed 1,622 IT and security professionals in organisations with more than 250 employees in 22 countries across Asia, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and the Americas - also reveals that:
• A low number (27%) of the 1,622 IT decision-makers surveyed said they have well-defined network policies in place for mobility Meanwhile, where IT departments are able to exert control to protect corporate data while managing the introduction of personal devices - through security audits, for instance - Dimension Data's research reveals that many don't. In fact, over 71% of survey respondents said that their business leaders view employee utilisation of personal mobile devices as potentially dangerous, costly and not business critical. Says Gyde: "From a security perspective, this negative view of BYOD is understandable, considering that the extent and depth of the risk has not adequately been measured against business policy. That's because many organisations have yet to evaluate the impact of mobility beyond the device itself."
RISK LANDSCAPE "Not considering the entire enterprise mobility landscape has led to an assumption of risk that is often grossly miscalculated, leaving organisations exposed to financial and reputational threats." Security experts should be involved in the development of an organisation's mobility strategy, he argues, a key part of which is an audit of applications accessed by mobile devices. "With the correct policy and measures, it is possible to support BYOD and enterprise mobility, without compromising security," says Boyd.
| ||
Like this article? Click here to get the Newsletter and Magazine Free! | |||
Email The Editor! OR Forward Article | Go Top | ||
PREVIOUS | NEXT |