FEATURE: MOBILE MALWARE
Network-based threats: When
employees use their mobile devices to
connect to the corporate Wi-Fi, they
have access to a range of resources.
This exposes the network to a range of
threats and employees are also able
to copy information from the network
onto their devices which may not be
adequately protected.
System-based threats: Manufacturers
can sometimes introduce
vulnerabilities unintentionally that can
compromise devices.
Application-based threats: Malicious
applications (malware) can perform
operations on the device like
compromising or stealing information.
Mitigating the risks
It’s not all doom and gloom and industry
experts advise that CIOs who want to
reap the many benefits that come from
using mobile devices in the workplace
www.intelligentcio.com
need to adopt a multi-layer approach to
security, relying on behavioural change
as well as technologies. Alderton suggests
updating apps and operating systems on
a regular basis; only downloading apps
from trusted sources; paying attention to
privacy settings on social media apps and
sites; setting an automatic lock on mobile
devices and not accessing key accounts
or financial services when connected to
an unsecure public Wi-Fi.
Badenhorst suggests that a security
approach to BYOD should consider the
following key aspects:
Effectively protecting all points and
mobile devices connected to the
corporate network: it’s important for
a comprehensive security solution
to ensure security across the entire
network and not just focusing on mobile
devices. Failure to do this could cause
compatibility problems to arise and
cause extra work for the CIO and IT
security team.
“Every time an
employee connects
a personal device
to the corporate
network, it
presents a new and
evolving challenge
for the IT team
managing these
devices.”
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