Security is always a delicate balance:  You need to provide efficient access, but only to those that are allowed that access.

Because there are a growing number of mobile devices, and more people utilizing them, there is more potential for breach – it’s just a numbers game, really.  Your networks require ever more attention:  In matters of security solutions and updates; watchfulness for any day-to-day breach; and investigation of any suspect activity.  At the same time, access has to be readily available to those authentic users, sustaining their productivity – and they must be be productive within a fully educated posture, based on well-communicated security policies.

First, before a user even authenticates, remember to have the device authenticate.  The network must recognize the device, allow it, and further – have your network survey it for currency in updates, patches and policy.  Now you’re swingin’.

Also, mobile devices use mobile-broadband, the same networks as mobile phones.  Here, it is basically essential to employ a virtual-private-network (VPN) – and also for any access coming through the public internet.  Generally, you want to encrypt any data/communications between devices which transmit through public broadband or internet.

The addition of firewalls is another layer of security.  They can be comprised of software, hardware, or both – and essentially emplace filters and authenticating standards before letting devices and/or data through. 

Remember that any security procedures and policies are only effective so long as the organization enforces them.  The organization must invest in security, in more ways than one.  More than monetary, it is the organization’s acknowledgement that security is paramount, and that people will be held accountable to security standards.  Regularized training and awareness sessions must be adhered to, and all modern and effective security measures must be undertaken in match to the accelerative nature of outside demands and threats.

Get on a schedule of regularized updates in all regards:  Organization, people, process, systems, data, communications, education…  Also, be certain to weave Business and IT leaders’ understandings and sanctions in creating and adhering to mutually defined and understood goals.

NP:  I Can’t Get Started, Cannonball Adderely, jazz24.org

Once upon a time, all an IT manager had to do was to secure an infrastructure and allied systems and tools that existed inside the “four walls” of the organization.  That is, some measure of a computer room (speaking in a virtual sense; any of these elements could stripe through multiple buildings, offices, allied agencies, etc.), fileserver(s), a wiring closet or two, a computer workstation population, and so on…

A few forward individuals, either by power, station, or adventurousness, dialed-in to the network.  Wow!  I remember jokes in the workplace:  Who the heck wants to bring the office home?

Today, we’re approaching universal connectivity.  There are so many mobile devices, and associated mobile apps – paired with new data-densities, new bandwidth and processing power considerations – that business is everywhere.

The challenge to business and IT leaders alike is not just protection to organization assets and daily production, but the challenge includes spec’ing up to accommodate present and future demands for the mobile workforce.  It also includes more than that…

It goes well beyond:  You must document allowances, as far as which classes of users have mobile access, when, and how.  And you must consider the blended environment of personal vs. business assets.  Keep in mind that folks access your organization’s central computing and data assets from personal computers, laptops, phones, tablets, etc.  The avenues for breach are many, in that you do not have an exclusive measure of control over these devices, and their associated “wellness” in terms of virus protection, malware protections, etc., etc.

Security demands are high.  You must guard against spam, spyware, malware, viruses… denial-of-service attacks, whether directed or random.  In this environment, it is prudent to consider data encryption for mobile devices.  Today, you must safeguard sensitive organization data on mobile devices:  Information is always vulnerable to theft and loss, but never more so when it’s repository is mobile and susceptible to loss itself.

More on this in the coming days…

March 10^th:  On this day in 1933, Nevada becomes the 1^st state to regulate narcotics.