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Securing the True Mobile Endpoint: Data & Applications

Amy Groden-Morrison
In the bring your own device (BYOD) workplace, application security is a significant concern. How do you guarantee sensitive business data is secure on your employees' mobile devices? Business apps built with a security framework may not be enough to ensure your information is secure. Stephen Skidmore, Director of Product Marketing at Apperian, recently wrote about security in the mobile workplace. His post outlines security concerns in the workplace and offers some tips for beefing up data security in your enterprise. Republished with permission from Apperian blog Written by Stephen Skidmore, Director of Product Marketing at Apperian 95. That’s the percentage of IT executives and security professionals who are concerned about BYOD security according to a recent survey conducted by Check Point. Perhaps more alarming is the fact that the same survey revealed that nearly half of participants admitted to suffering a BYOD security incident costing in excess of $250,000.

TRADITIONAL SECURITY MODELS AND BYOD DON’T MIX

It’s clear that enterprises are struggling to keep pace with the growth and implications of bring your own device (BYOD). The reason? BYOD is more than just the latest IT trend. It’s altered the business landscape completely, affecting the role of IT and enterprises, as well reshaping business workflows, how we work, and where we work. To put it simply, the impact of BYOD is far greater than previous IT advances and applying the old security model to this new technology does not work. Before BYOD, Blackberries and other corporate-issued devices were at the forefront of the enterprise mobility movement. At that time, enterprises imposed centralized control over the devices themselves. This made it possible to perform updates, apply patches, and shutdown devices remotely in the event of a security concern. While mobile device management was a valid method for securing corporate property, this approach fails to adapt to and address the needs of the modern BYOD user. Apperian securing_true_endpoint In addition to the legal ramifications of implementing device-level security measures on a personal device, mobile device management doesn’t have the infrastructure to support today’s modern mobile environment. Both apps and devices are the subject of frequent updates and upgrades, leaving enterprises supporting mobile device management vulnerable to security threats as they are forced to constantly play catch-up to the latest device and OS versions available on the market.

SECURING THE TRUE ENDPOINT

With the introduction of BYOD, the true endpoint of enterprise mobility switched from devices to apps and data. By focusing on security where it matters, enterprises can achieve fine-tuned security and control without compromising users’ devices. This can all be accomplished through mobile application management (MAM™), which is capable of covering the security, administration, and management of public, custom, and hybrid applications. Using MAM, enterprises can add a layer of security to applications that protects sensitive data regardless of who is using them and where they are installed. This means that your apps stay secure and can be used by permanent employees, contractors, and part-time employees alike. Security controls, user permissions, and updates can all be applied through an intuitive administration panel, making it easier than ever to customize your enterprise mobile environment.

BALANCE USABILITY AND SECURITY TO DRIVE MOBILE ADOPTION RATES

A BYOD security approach that addresses the true point of vulnerability also holds advantages that stretch far beyond securing data. By zeroing in on apps and data rather than physical devices, it’s much easier to scale mobile solutions to grow side-by-side with your company. BYOD users are also much more comfortable with app-level security, as it doesn’t affect their personal property. With MAM you achieve the right balance between security and usability, which is key in not only for keeping corporate data safe, but also for promoting mobile app adoption.

HOW TO SECURE THE TRUE MOBILE ENDPOINT: APPS & DATA

To learn more about balancing security true end point security and usability, watch this webinar recording with Alan Murray, SVP of product at Apperian. He discusses the pros and cons of various mobile security methods. Learn how an app-centric approach can provide fine-grained security and control across all workers, including BYOD and contracted workers, where MDM and device management can’t. 
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About Author

Amy Groden-Morrison
Amy Groden-Morrison

Amy Groden-Morrison has served more than 15 years in marketing communications leadership roles at companies such as TIBCO Software, RSA Security and Ziff-Davis. Most recently she was responsible for developing marketing programs that helped achieve 30%+ annual growth rate for analytics products at a $1Bil, NASDAQ-listed business integration Software Company. Her past accomplishments include establishing the first co-branded technology program with CNN, launching an events company on the NYSE, rebranding a NASDAQ-listed company amid a crisis, and positioning and marketing a Boston-area startup for successful acquisition. Amy currently serves as a Healthbox Accelerator Program Mentor, Marketing Committee Lead for the MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge Launch Smart Clinics, and on the organizing team for Boston TechJam. She holds an MBA from Northeastern University.

The Alpha platform is the only unified mobile and web app development and deployment environment with distinct “no-code” and “low-code” components. Using the Alpha TransForm no-code product, business users and developers can take full advantage of all the capabilities of the smartphone to turn any form into a mobile app in minutes, and power users can add advanced app functionality with Alpha TransForm's built-in programming language. IT developers can use the Alpha Anywhere low-code environment to develop complex web or mobile business apps from scratch, integrate data with existing systems of record and workflows (including data collected via Alpha TransForm), and add additional security or authentication requirements to protect corporate data.

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