Mobile Device Security with Mobile Device Management

Most company networks now have hundreds, if not thousands, of mobile devices accessing their data and acting as endpoints that expand their overall attack surface. Without proper configuration, mobile devices can quickly become the most vulnerable link in your security strategy. Mobile device management (MDM) allows organizations to support, provision, and manage their mobile devices.

What is MDM?

MDM securely deploys mobile devices with appropriate organizational policies and user-based configurations, then automatically monitors them for policy violations. Besides making inventory management easier for IT and freeing up valuable time for user support, properly configured MDMs eliminate several methods bad actors can use to breach an organization, making it an essential piece of the overall cybersecurity strategy.

For example, MDM solutions continually update and apply the latest patches to devices enterprise-wide. MDM also helps manage permissions and limit access to sensitive data. This can significantly reduce the chances of malicious actors using stolen credentials to access Internet-facing infrastructure or intranet apps. Additionally, properly configured MDM solutions allow IT staff to deploy devices with encryption and multi-factor authentication (MFA), and to shut down stolen or lost devices in the event of a breach.

MDM and Zero Trust

Organizations often ask how to apply Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) to their enterprise mobility programs. Mapping mobile security to CISA's Zero Trust Maturity Model is a matter of configuring the right tools correctly. While the mobile security ecosystem provides some opportunities to implement technical policies, including data protection, it provides limited data categorization capabilities. Similarly, approaches to governance that cannot be technically implemented often need to rely on personnel policies, processes, procedures, and training. Here again, MDM can be essential to an organization's overall cybersecurity strategy toward Zero Trust because it automates processes and procedures and eliminates human error when correctly configured.

Mobile Device Security Assessments

A quality mobile device security assessment reviews the mobility management process, operating system security, and the configuration of the MDM solution. A third-party can help complete these reviews without bias. There are several reviews necessary to ensure your MDM is configured correctly, including:

·???????Application inventory and restrictions, such as allowlisting and blocklisting

·???????Authentication

·???????Automated detection and response to policy violations

·???????Data encryption

·???????Operating system version and rooted device restrictions

·???????Public WiFi or USB port restrictions

·???????Remote wipe and lock

·???????Software updates

·???????User and application access to hardware and OS

Conclusion

Securance is committed to helping organizations develop proactive cybersecurity strategies, identify, and manage risks across their IT environments, and strategically align business and IT goals. Contact us to learn more about our services and how we can support your organization.

Paul Ashe is the founder and president of?Securance Consulting, an IT assessment firm that helps clients in all industries combat cyber threats, manage risks, and achieve compliance.?

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