Would you step onto a dangerous construction site without taking precautions and wearing safety equipment? Probably not! And yet nearly all of us are walking around every day completely unprotected against security risks that can be just as damaging for our company. That mobile device you’re carrying, whether a phone, tablet or laptop, is exposed to multiple threats that can all lead to security breaches and data leaks. By Frédéric Lavend’Homme

Most companies now have rigorous security measures integrated into their corporate IT networks but as soon as employees leave for a client meeting, a café or the airport, their devices are at risk. With one laptop stolen every 53 seconds according to Gartner and more than 70 million mobile phones lost or stolen annually according to Kensington, physical theft remains a major concern. If this happens, companies need to be sure that sensitive data is protected through encryption and that devices can be remotely located and wiped clean.

However, an equally dangerous threat, and one that many of us remain oblivious to, is malware. A device can become infected by downloading a fake app, often by simply clicking a fake link sent by email, SMS, or over social media. Malware can act as a man-in-the-middle, recording your keystrokes to capture passwords and even turning on your microphone or camera to record sound and video. An infected employee device can access the corporate network, putting confidential company data at risk.

The need for companies to implement security measures that take these risks into account has become even more pressing with the EU’s new General Data Protection Regulation. Coming into effect in May 2018, it will not only affect EU-based businesses, but any company that deals with the personal data of EU citizens. Future data breaches will need to be reported and could result in huge fines of up to 20 million euros or 4% of total worldwide annual turnover – a compelling reason to start putting safeguards in place today.

How can you ensure that your corporate IT network is able to withstand these new mobile threats? Dimension Data offers a two-pronged defence-in-depth strategy that simultaneously tackles threats both within and outside of the corporate network. An adaptive security model protects mobile devices on the go, while a zero-trust model is used to treat every device on the corporate network with the same high level of suspicion. With security checks and authentication of all devices entering or re-entering the network, it quarantines and prevents infected devices from spreading malware across the network.

 We at Dimension Data help our clients risk less and achieve more with cybersecurity.

Ready to find the right solution for your company? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me to start the discussion.