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In 2010, more mobile devices–such as smartphones and tablets–were sold than PCs and laptops, and according to industry analysts, mobile device shipments will exceed a billion devices in 2015; and will rapidly outrun PC shipments. This is great for the end user who is typically always on the go; and in many small-to-medium businesses this will benefit the remote worker greatly. However, according to Forrester Research, the increasing importance of smartphones and tablets in the lives of consumers and workers has made the devices more attractive to attackers.
IBM‘s IT security research team, X-Force, predicts a modest 33 software exploits targeting mobile devices in the year ahead, that’s roughly twice the number of such attack code released in the past 12 months. Gartner argues that by 2014, 80 percent of mobile professionals will use at least two personal devices to access corporate systems and data.
Thus, it is absolutely critical for companies to have stricter internet usage policies and stronger IT Security protection on their mobile devices. The InterGuard solution provides employers with the ability to do just that and allows for employers to monitor cell phone messages and know what’s leaving their organization. Check out more information on InterGuard Mobile Monitor.
Five Essential Mobile Security Tips To Follow
1. Lock the device. Lost and stolen devices continue to be the most serious threat for businesses and consumers.
2. Avoid questionable apps
3. Accept the patches. Similar to PCs, mobile phones need to be patched often to eliminate vulnerabilities found since the phone’s release. The good news is that unlike security vulnerabilities in Android, which can take time to make their way to the phone, updates are done over the air. Users should always accept the updates, says Kevin Mahaffey, chief technology officer for mobile security firm Lookout
4. Back up your data. Mobile devices are easy to back up, a characteristic users should make the most of. Users who back up regularly are less likely to lose data even if their company has a strict auto-destruct policy for lost or stolen phones, says Zscaler’s Sutton.
5. Stay safely behind bars. Finally, though some compelling reasons exist for consumers to jailbreak their phones, security experts advise users to just say no.