Endpoint security has come a long way to protect enterprise network and provide an infallible mechanism to set up IT policies and manage wireless devices. Not only does it make IT admins lives easier by leaps and bounds, but at its core functionality, an effective endpoint security management tool enforces policies that requires all connected devices to comply with network rules.
The endpoint technology is evolving, and so are the policies governing it. Experts are already forecasting the emergence of a new era in the enterprise security landscape, and that is of mobile endpoint management. With the increasing popularity of wireless technology such as BYOD policites, IoT and wearables, mobile device management has become a likely target for online attacks. And so, the need for appropriate IT security is also on the rise.
Malwares and viruses, online eavasdropping, unauthorised access and data theft are some of the major risks that networks connected with mobile devices run in their everyday operations. However, with the right endpoint management tool and a thought-out security policy, these threats can be fought against before they can inflict any damage to the network or the corporate data.
According to a survey conducted by SAMS Institute, many organizations are already proactive in spotting breaches in their corporate network. Their research found that 21% of respondents detected compromised networks in 2016, compared to only 16% in 2015.
Mobile device security is still emerging, and so, IT admins should be really thoughtful about the kind of understanding they put in implementing a proper endpoint management policy to manage connect devices. Essentially, the following five concerns should be considered when formulating mobile device management:
- User access to device
- Device ownership (corporate-owned vs. BYOD)
- Lost/stolen device
- Data access on the device
- Level of security awareness in staffs
The new-age mobile security tools are so designed that they provide more security coverage to wireless gadgets, such as wearables, than traditional peripherals that are physically connected to the network, such as a printer. At the same time, a majority of enterprise IT admit that it is challenging for them to manage security for their network because of the increasing threats of malware on the mobile space.
Ponemon Institute, which carried out an independent research and published their results “2016 State of the Endpoint Report” in April, found that only 36% of those surveyed during the research felt that they had adequate resources to handle endpoint security properly, while 71% said that they faced obstacles in imposing effective network policies. The statistics clearly shows that despite their willingness, most of the corporate entities are finding it hard to invest on proper security budget owing to lack of money and other resources.
The frequent and rapid update in device softwares and new device adoption among users is another obstacle for companies to implement effective security plans.
On the bright side, companies are taking necessary measures to ramp up their security mechanisms and are laying out diligent plans to have strong security chains in place for the future. The IT department in every organization could optimize their security mission if they could involve everyone from their enterprise, and not only the IT security personnel, in formulating effective endpoint management policies.
To reiterate, the landscape of threats increase with the spike in technological diversification; the more gadgets your organization accommodates, the more likely your network is subject to online attack. The best bet for your IT is to identify a mobile endpoint management strategy that takes a unified approach to handle all kinds of device.
Security strategy for mobile networks should aim to protect its endpoints from unwanted third-party actors, at the same time keeping abreast of the rapid change in technology. So IT admins should invest their time to understand the specific nature of the network and its users in order to enforce a long-lasting, successful mobile endpoint strategy.
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