Standard workplace equipment is undergoing a rapid evolution, as business smartphone and tablet use become the norm instead of the exception. In fact, the International Data Corporation (IDC) projects that by 2015, the population of mobile workers will reach nearly 1.3 billion worldwide--that's 37 percent of the global workforce.
With the consumerization of IT and "bring your own device" trends going strong, security and IT professionals must face the impact of increasing mobility on identity management. In the U.S. alone, 113 smartphones are lost or stolen every minute, according to a recent report from Protect Your Bubble. That's a lot of sensitive data that could fall into the wrong hands.
Current mobile security measures: Are they strong enough?
Along with the rise of mobile technology, the IT industry has seen the development of new, stronger security measures designed to protect the flood of devices. There are three common mobile options employed in enterprise for end-user authentication:
Like all security systems, these measures are not foolproof. Public keys that are verified by digital certificates can be stolen, while one-time passwords and out-of-band authentication are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.
Trending toward personal devices
The BlackBerry, which has served for years as the mobile device of choice for multi-national companies, has been usurped by the iPhone. IDC reports that more companies are purchasing iPhones for business use--in part because of Apple's tight focus on security.
For network and information security in vast IT environments, this shift could prove challenging. Many iPhone users are more likely to rely on their phones for personal applications as well as business, which represents a greater potential for security breaches. In addition, security on Apple devices is typically a manual process, rather than a networked one--so users must make adjustments and updates on their own.
The new wave of mobile security
How can IT and security professionals adapt to the mobile trend? The next generation of mobile security will require a step beyond standard authentication practices. Additional precautions, such as a PIN or other screen locking mechanism, and remote lock-and-wipe capabilities, may become standard fare for the mobile workforce--at least until fingerprint recognition and retina scanning technology becomes affordable.
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