How a Mobile Device Management Solution Affects Cyber Security

From BYOD to reliable remote monitoring, let's take a look at how choosing a mobile device management solution affects the cyber security of business devices. 

Technology has benefited the business world in many ways. With cloud-based operations providing companies with more freedom, IP phone systems allowing for better customer service and IoT devices unlocking seemingly limitless capabilities, managing data and both internal and external communications has never been easier.

However, the increase in business technology has also led to an increase in threat. Businesses are in possession of some of the most valuable data in the world, and digital databases aren't always as bulletproof as they may appear. According to GOV.UK, 39% of UK businesses experienced a cyber attack in the past year. 

The good news? The same study showed that the number of companies experiencing cyber attacks has either fallen slightly or stayed consistent, despite an increasing amount of technological innovations. For instance, 46% of UK businesses were victim to a malicious attack in 2017, and 43% suffered similar attacks in 2018.  

The main way that businesses can counteract this ever-prevalent threat is by taking the correct cyber security measures. Although setting strong passwords and using MFA will always be important, that simply isn't enough for businesses managing sensitive data. 

One of the many cyber security solutions on the market at the moment is mobile device management. Thanks to its ease-of-use, remote management and all-encompassing services, mobile device management is proving to be an effective form of device protection. But what is MDM and how does a mobile device management solution affect cyber security?

What is Mobile Device Management?

Mobile device management (MDM) is a form of security software that allows businesses to regulate and control all of their devices from one platform. MDM can secure any device that connects to the core enterprise network, including laptops, mobile phones, IoT technology and more. 

Mobile device management is usually attractive to businesses as it makes it easy to implement core company policies and security measures across every device unanimously. Additionally, it has also allowed businesses to initiate a BYOD (bring your own device) policy, saving companies huge amounts of money that would be spent on new mobiles and computers. 

Some of the features of MDM include:

• Remote installation of apps and software
• Device tracking
• Analytics
• Control over application and website access
• Detection of usage violations
• Remote locking, wiping and factory resets
• Automated reports and alerts 

Mobile device management solutions positively affect cyber security in a variety of ways. As technology has grown more advanced, MDM has become an essential way to ensure that company data cannot be accessed by malicious parties, as well as providing a get-out clause in the instance of the physical device being stolen and hacked. 

Security Issues with Bring Your Own Device

BYOD has helped UK companies save money on excess tech. However, without the affects of mobile device management on cyber security, it simply would not be possible to implement BYOD policies safely. 

To begin with, devices that are user-owned are always going to be more vulnerable to attacks than corporate systems. Alongside the lack of high-calibre security software, user-owned devices as also more susceptible to attacks as a result of human error - which, according the the World Economics Forum, is the reason for 95% of all security breaches. 

However, MDM helps to remove this risk by keeping company profiles and personal user profiles separate.

This allows the company profile to be managed by MDM architecture, preventing unauthorised access and limiting the access to certain websites and applications whilst the device is operating within the company profile. 

When company restrictions and practises are defined from the outset, and a correct MDM solution is implemented, BYOD can be a very safe and cost-effective way to manage business communications. 

Remote management and Monitoring

Managing and monitoring the security on multiple devices can be a challenge. This is especially the case if you work as part of a large enterprise. Manually installing security updates on 30+ devices, for example, can be incredibly time-consuming and leaves a lot of room for human error. 

Mobile device management solutions implement and affect cyber security by providing a platform where devices can be managed and monitored remotely. This allows for:

• Consistent and recent security updates that can be initiated across all company devices in one go. 
• Remote troubleshooting and device diagnosis.
• Enforcing security procedures on all devices, and checking that device usage remains compliant.

Rather than taking risks and relying on the individual members of a team to make sure that all devices are up to date, therefore, mobile device management solutions nominate one base of control to homogenise all company technology.

What if your Company Device is Stolen? 

A stolen device could be extremely high-risk for any business. Regardless of passwords and other security measures, it would still be possible for a proficient cyber criminal to gain access to company files and important data. 

When a company uses a mobile device management solution, however, it is easy to track and locate all devices on the company network. This way, if an employee reports their device as missing, you can check whether it has simply been left at home or if it has possibly been possessed by a malicious agent. 

If the latter is the case, there is no need to worry - a mobile device management solution allows you to remotely wipe all of the data from the stolen device with the click of a button. This can remove a lot of anxiety, especially if your company stores important information on portable devices, such as mobile phones. 

Protect Your Business Data

In summary, mobile device management solutions an easy way to keep your company data under lock and key. Mobile device management solutions have had unprecedented affects on cyber security, and have quickly become an essential measure that businesses need to take to protect their client's information and the company's reputation as a whole. 

Your Comms Group provide effective and efficient mobile device management solutions that provide ultimate protection and control. To find out more, get in touch with one of our agents today.