6 Ways MDM Puts Security First

Part 1: Little Known 6 Signs Your MDM Security is a Risk

The losses organizations are incurring due to cyberattacks is something any other organization should try and avoid at all costs. There will be no excuse that can save a company once the attack happens. You can't even make a case using MDM inadequacy.

So, how do you test if your MDM is strong enough to secure your information before it is too late? There are some warning signs you should often check. Take a look also to know how to secure your mobile data.

1. Updates

If you are not using an updated version, then your MDM security is a risk. Some updates are usually released to solve some security risks. Therefore, usually patching within 30 days after its release date is good for the MDM security.

1. Device Misuse

If your customers and employees can easily use the company's devices, including smartphones, tablets, and kiosks, to do other things, it is high time you thought about your MDM. If they can access unauthorized device settings, websites, and apps, then it is at risk.

1. Downtime

If the app or device isn't performing well and at all times, you have a problem. It could cost you customers and money and compromise the productivity of your employees. So, downtime is a clear indication that your MDM is a risk.

1. Manual Provision

Another indicator is your technical staff managing to configure and deploy various mobile devices manually.

1. Device Lock-Down

Is it possible to identify how your mobile devices are against cyberattack risks? If not, then you have a problem.

1. Device Compatibility

Various devices operate on different operating systems and hardware. If the MDM cannot guarantee security regardless of such differences, that might be a recipe for disaster, no doubt.

Part 2: Myths You Can Not Ignore - How Secure is Your MDM?

How secure is your mobile data? Whereas it is crystal clear that the security level of your mobile data should be excellent, knowing if it is secure or not can be hard. It isn't very easy to a greater extent since it involves various layers. However, we usually have your back. It would be best if you didn't wake up one day only to find your bank account reading zero because someone accessed your phone and saw the pin you have saved there. So let's take a look at how to determine how secure your MDM is.

When assessing the cybersecurity of your MDM, you need to consider 6 layers. They give you an idea of the vulnerabilities and the risks. Take a look at these 6 layers to examine to identify how secure your mobile data is.

1. MDM Cloud Platform Security

If you want excellent mobile security, this is the first thing you need to think about. The right MDM has a portal that allows you to carry out allocation, deployment and management of devices with ease. All these activities need to be done per the policy. It is also a great determinant of the rights over the device policies, both write and read.

It should mainly focus on two aspects, usability and data integrity. The right MDM should notify you about the necessary things on time. It should also have a complete and accurate audit trail.

1. Device Hardware Security

In most cases, MDM is compatible with tablets and smartphones. However, only on few occasions will you find MDD with wide compatibility to the extent that it accommodates devices such as telehealth devices, fitness equipment, kiosks, mPOS, and ruggedized devices, just but to mention a few.

Consequently, as you consider mobile security, look for a solution that accommodates your devices. Otherwise, if the MDM solution isn't compatible with the devices at hand, that will compromise their security. It would be best if you didn't ignore updates and interoperability either because they are also vital when it comes to hardware security. They usually determine how strong your MDM is as well.

1. Network Security

The network is the most targeted layer when it comes to mobile security. Therefore, securing your mobile devices isn't enough. As a matter of fact, an unsecured network could render your secure device useless. Consequently, it should be part of your strategy of how to secure mobile data. Don't assume that it is a non-issue simply because you don't use public Wi-Fi connection. It is an issue that cuts across all networks.

Failure to secure your network will lead to you joining the many other companies that had thought they were safe until they were proven otherwise by attackers. According to studies, the popularity of W-Fi connection when accessing the internet in the corporate world is 300% times that of cellular data. Unfortunately, almost 25% of mobile devices have at one point connected with a compromised Wi-Fi connection. Mobile devices amounting to 4% have experienced a man-in-the-middle attack exposure.

Do you see why the security of your MDM matters? In this case, ensure that it has mechanisms of boosting Wi-Fi security, especially to employees working remotely and customers. When the device is exposed to a compromised Wi-Fi, your MDM should have a way of how to secure your mobile data under such circumstances. The same case applies to when device theft occurs.

1. App Security

Research shows that out of 150,000 application users download from Google Play Store, more than 11% are at risk of cyberattacks. How secure is mobile data, then? That's a question that should bother almost everyone who downloads the app. The issue doesn't stop there, given the cases of pre-installed bloatware applications and backdoors. Can you imagine your mobile device having an app with a master password or secret access key?

For that reason, how secure your MDM depends on whether it can handle such app security issues or not. If the developers introduce these risks, don't you see that only a naïve person can trust them to solve those issues? An ideal alternative is looking for an MDM that supports app management, especially top-down. A secure one should be in a position to restrict user and app permissions.

1. Alerts and Remediation

Applications are usually updated now and make it absolutely necessary to ensure that security strategies also change accordingly. Otherwise, your mobile device could be safe today and yet be compromised tomorrow. So how do you know whether you should update an app or not? That's where a secure MDM comes in.

It should notify you about a threat and, more importantly, before it happens. An automated response will do that on time because once it is too late, there is only little that you can do. For instance, as soon as the geofencing data show that it is stolen or lost, the device should enter lockdown immediately. If that's not how your MDM responds, then it may not be as secure as you think.

1. User Experience

How secure is mobile data, considering how the customers and employees use and configure their devices? Some misuse and abuse them, no doubt. Others use a 4-digit pin relatively simply to lock their devices, making it easy for attackers to gain access. Another portion doesn't even use the simple code at all. As a result, cyberattacks know about the weakness and exploit it every time they get a chance.

That's why a secure MDM should introduce various privileges. For instance, a customer shouldn't need to have access to a lot of data. It should also restrict access by employees, allowing them only to access what's necessary. As long as the restriction doesn't compromise their happiness and productivity, the measures are indeed worthy.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

• Mobile devices' cybersecurity risks continue to threaten organizations, but the right MDM can save the day.
• Nevertheless, you must be aware of the various signs of a compromised MDM, and the above signs can help.
• You should also assess how secure your MDM is to avoid a situation where it fails you by not operating as per your expectations when it is too late to fix the situation.