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How mobile data protection can help keep intruders out

In a world where data regularly travels from corporate servers to unsecured personal devices, and to apps and into the cloud – leaving a digital trail of copies at virtually every point along its route – mobile data security is more important than ever. And although your first instinct might be to lock down your data and install restrictive IT endpoint software on all of your team’s personal devices, odds are good that your staff won’t accept it. After all, they rely on their devices for both personal use, and work – which means that you have to find a way to protect your data without impeding your team’s mobile usage.

 

To someone who’s job is to secure data, that may sound about as likely as it would be to find a mythical unicorn grazing in quietly in your own back yard – but it is actually possible. Let’s take a look at a few ways that you can improve your organization’s mobile data security without making your team’s favorite devices difficult or cumbersome to use.

 

  • Mobile Application Management (MAMs): By using MAM solutions, organizations can give users access to a catalog of corporate-developed apps and vetted and approved third-party business apps that can be used for work. In addition to providing users with a list of acceptable apps, administrators can also blacklist apps that do not meet their criteria. For added convenience, MAM solutions also typically allow administrators to update and even remove apps without having to access a device physically – making it an excellent solution for global organizations or those with a large number of remote staff members.

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  • Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): By giving organizations the power to host a desktop virtual machine on a shared server that is then accessed by a user via a mobile device, companies can use existing solutions to secure data and protect critical information. It’s important to note that this type of solution only covers the use of desktop apps – and not those that are natively designed for mobile devices, so additional levels of mobile data protection are necessary to ensure that all aspects of the mobile work experience are covered.
  • Mobile Device Management (MDM): As an end-to-end security solution, MDM provides protection for the mobile apps, network and data used by the mobile device, as well as the device itself. All of these items are managed with a single software product, which is typically overseen by an organization’s IT department. MDM security solutions can generally be applied to both BYOD and corporate-owned devices. Devices simply need to be enrolled and configured to communicate with the enterprise management server. From that point on, the device will periodically sync with the management server to check for updates and apply the latest policies set by IT – delivering a seamless experience that’s also secure from start to finish.

As mobile device use continues to skyrocket, securing data at every point along the way is critical. Through the use of a variety security measures, you can give your employees the flexibility to work when and where they need to – and on virtually any device. In order to maximize your protection, mobile data security solutions can typically be combined. For instance, by choosing mobile application management and mobile device management solutions, organizations can use on-premises and in the cloud security measures – and protect their data while it’s in use at the office and wherever their team members may be.

 

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