The smartphone is ubiquitous in companies and increasingly hosts professional applications and data. The issue of cybersecurity is becoming more important with the rise of attacks that affect the use and functioning of our mobile devices. Particularly exposed, they now represent points of vulnerability for companies, which must rethink their governance by integrating this priority issue.
Widely used, mobile devices handle a significant amount of sensitive data that needs to be protected. Securing your fleet of smartphones is not optional, but an imperative, just like securing Windows or Mac workstations. Relying on an industrial approach requires defining specific governance while using tools dedicated to securing mobile IT assets, such as EMM (Enterprise Mobility Management) solutions and MDR (Managed Detection and Response). Lastly, the human element is also essential. Raising awareness among employees should be part of the proposed strategy (presentation of risky behaviors, best practices, etc.).
While these measures are the pillars of good cybersecurity governance in the mobile world, it is also necessary to keep them alive. In fact, the security measures adopted today may not necessarily be effective tomorrow. Risks and environments evolve, so your system must evolve constantly. So, how can you ensure lasting security? This is a real challenge for IT asset and Digital Workplace managers.
Establishing a dedicated organization to secure operations.
While it is possible to manage mobile cyber governance internally, this task is time-consuming, complex, and can quickly impact an organization’s cybersecurity. A new practice is becoming the norm: outsourcing and managed services.
By choosing this option, organizations free themselves from this strategic task and can focus on managing their operations without having to mobilize or recruit dedicated resources. They also free up time to better manage the entire IT asset fleet, considering the full lifecycle of devices: procurement, preparation of mobile devices and workstations, support, and end-of-life management. All security patches and updates are managed by the “outsourcer,” who ensures their large-scale deployment transparently for the user, without disrupting their activities.
Outsourcing for smartphone IT assets is a tremendous accelerator for improving mobile cyber governance. It is a real opportunity to ensure that the deployed IT assets will be used under optimal conditions, will not pose a risk to the company, and will allow employees to enjoy a unique experience and improve their working comfort.
By Louis des Courtils, Director of the UEM Consulting Department at SAASWEDO.