Cybersecurity Tips to Protect Your Company’s Mobile Device Security
In today’s workplaces, mobile devices are becoming increasingly common. According to a new study, 93% of employees use a smartphone for work every day.
With so many employees using a mobile device for work, it’s important to make sure that your enterprise’s mobile device security is up to par. Attackers are increasingly targeting laptops and phones, and you want to make sure that each portable device in your company is safe.
This blog will give you some tips on how to protect your company’s mobile devices from security risks. Let’s delve right in.
Implement a Mobile Device Management Solution
One of the most effective ways to ensure mobile device security is to implement a mobile device management (MDM) solution.
MDM essentially allows you to remotely manage and monitor all of the devices in your fleet. This ensures that they are always up-to-date with the latest security patches and anti-virus definitions.
In addition, MDM can also help to track devices if they are lost or stolen, making it easier to recover them and prevent sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands.
While MDM can be a bit of a hassle to set up and maintain, it is well worth the effort for the peace of mind it can provide.
Use Data Encryption and Strong Passwords
Encryption is a data security technique that encodes information so that only authorized users can access it. By encrypting data, you can protect it from being accessed by unauthorized individuals.
A strong password is also essential for keeping your data safe. A good password should be at least eight characters long and include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. It’s also important to choose a password that you’ll remember, but that is not easily guessed by others.
Keep Software Up to Date
Updating your software helps close any gaps that malicious individuals may be able to exploit. In addition, updates often contain new features and improvements that can make your devices more secure overall.
For these reasons, it’s crucial to make sure that all of your company’s mobile devices are running the latest version of their respective operating systems and applications.
Ignoring updates can leave your business vulnerable to attack, so it’s always better to err on the side of caution.
Educate Employees About Security Risks
An astounding 95% of all cybersecurity breaches are the result of human error. That means that your employees should be your front line of defense when it comes to mobile device security. They are the ones who are using the devices every day and are more likely to spot a potential security risk.
That’s why it’s so important to educate employees about security risks. Explain what types of risks exist, how they can impact the company, and what employees can do to help mitigate those risks.
For example, employees should be aware of the importance of keeping their devices password-protected and up-to-date with the latest security patches.
Equip them with tips for avoiding phishing attacks as well.
Restrict Physical Access to Devices
It’s important to secure mobile devices that contain sensitive data physically.
If a device is left unsecured, it only takes a few seconds for someone to pick it up and walk off with it. By contrast, if physical access to the device is restricted, would-be thieves are much less likely to be successful.
There are several ways to restrict physical access to mobile devices. One common method is to use a security cable that can be attached to a desk or another fixed object. Another option is to use a security case that includes a keyed lock.
Whichever approach you take, restricting physical access to mobile devices is an important step in ensuring their security.
Monitor Mobile Device Usage
It’s important for companies to have a policy in place for how employees use their mobile devices for work. This includes specifying which apps can be used for work purposes, setting up password protection, and requiring employees to install updates in a timely manner.
Monitoring mobile device usage also helps to ensure that employees are only accessing company data on approved devices. This step helps to protect sensitive information and prevents employees from accidentally downloading malware.
In addition, it allows the IT department to wipe company data from lost or stolen devices remotely.
Use Secure Wireless Networks
It’s important to be careful when using public Wi-Fi networks, but did you know that it’s just as important to secure your own wireless networks? By taking a few simple steps, you can help to protect your company’s data from being hacked.
First, be sure to use a strong password for your wifi device. The goal is to make it as difficult as possible for malicious individuals to hack your hotspot device.
Second, enable WPA2 encryption on your network. This will help to prevent data interception by would-be hackers. Finally, keep your router’s firmware up to date.
Use Two-Factor Authentication
Also known as two-step verification or multi-factor authentication, this security measure requires someone attempting to log into an account to have not only a password but also something that only that person has access to, like a physical token or a code sent to their mobile device.
This makes it much more difficult for someone to hack into an account, as they would need both the password and the physical token or code.
Prioritize Mobile Device Security to Deter Breaches
As long as you use mobile devices for business purposes, the threat of getting breached will always be real.
However, by taking the proper precautions, you can help to protect your company’s data from being compromised. By following the tips in this article, you can help to keep every mobile device secure and stop attackers in their tracks.
Are you interested in our professional help on how to improve IT security in your company? Get in touch with us today and learn how we can help you.