New Verizon study reveals many organizations prioritized business performance at the cost of mobile enterprise security
February 21 2018 - 07:00AM
A new report from Verizon found that organizations across numerous
industries compromised mobile data security because of speed to
market priorities and a lack of threat awareness according to
survey respondents. As business usage of mobile devices, the
Internet of Things and other mobile applications accelerates,
Verizon’s inaugural Mobile Security Index 2018 seeks to raise
awareness of the current mobile security landscape, including
growing threats, and offer recommendations for protecting the
mobile enterprise.
“As mobility becomes more integral to business operations in
today’s digital economy – from supply chain management to
IoT-enabled sensors to customer-facing mobile apps – protecting
mobile platforms is critical,” said Thomas J. Fox, senior vice
president with Verizon. “Securing the multitude of mobile devices
that connect to public and private networks and platforms is
paramount for protecting corporate assets and brand integrity.”
Survey snapshots
Key findings that emerged from the independent
survey of approximately 600 mobility professionals1, many
representing multinational corporations, include:
- Nearly a third (32%) of organizations surveyed admitted to
sacrificing mobile security to improve business performance.
- 93% of organizations agreed that mobile devices present a
serious and growing threat. Also, 20% of surveyed organizations
that use IoT devices cite these as their most significant
concern.
- 79% said that disruption of their business operations is an
even greater threat than the theft of data.
- 79% of the organizations fear that employee misuse, either
accidentally or intentionally, is a significant concern. And 39% of
organizations that allow employees to use their own devices for
business purposes (known as BYOD) ranked this as their top
concern.
- A majority of organizations (62%) feel that a lack of
understanding of threats and solutions are a barrier to mobile
security. Less than 1/3 of organizations (33%) use mobile endpoint
security and less than half (47%) said they use device encryption.
Only 31% are using Mobile Device Management (MDM) or Enterprise
Mobility Management (EMM).
- Only one in seven organizations surveyed (14%) had implemented
the most basic cybersecurity practices. Less than two fifths (39%)
change all default passwords; only 38% use strong two-factor
authentication on their mobile devices; and, only 59% restrict
which apps employees can download from the Internet to their mobile
devices.
- Though a number of vertical industries are represented in the
study, healthcare and the public sector were hit especially hard.
More than a third of healthcare organizations (35%) and 33% of
public sector entities said they had suffered data loss or downtime
due to a mobile device security incident.
Given the proliferation of mobile device use by organizations
and the growing security threats, Verizon’s Mobile Security Index
2018 offers a comprehensive set of recommendations for protecting
the mobile enterprise. Some of these include:
- Reduce the risk of malicious applications:
Implement policies that govern which apps can be downloaded by
employees and create a custom app store to build a more secure
environment. Also, deploy application management software that
scans apps for vulnerabilities.
- Improve device management: Ensure that
all default passwords are changed; deploy mobile endpoint security
and threat detection to all devices; and, implement Mobile Device
Management (MDM) and Enterprise Mobility Management
(EMM).
- Increase user/employee awareness: Implement a
strong password policy and ensure adherence, provide regular
security training and test employee awareness annually; regularly
review employee access to systems and data; and, create an incident
response plan to help reduce damage caused by a security
incident.
Additional information on mobile enterprise security practices
is available on verizonenterprise.com.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in
New York City, generated $126 billion in 2017 revenues. The company
operates America’s most reliable wireless network and the nation’s
premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated solutions to
businesses worldwide. Its Oath subsidiary reaches about one billion
people around the world with a dynamic house of media and
technology brands.
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1 U.S. and U.K.-based survey respondents for
Verizon’s 2018 Mobile Security Index manage and procure mobile
devices for their organizations. This independent research was
conducted during the second half of 2017.
Media contact: Maria
Montenegro571.926.4170maria.montenegro@verizon.com
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