Mobility and security:mutually exclusive clash or balancing act

In the pursuit of better digital experiences for customers, increased productivity for employees, and uncompromised network security for the organisation, end-user computing initiatives are key, and the CIO stands at the precipice of a very complex balancing act.

Walking the tightrope; security versus freedom

New mobility initiatives may correlate with very real business needs, but they require comprehensive, all-encompassing IT strategies. It’s not an easy thing to implement, often forcing CIOs to vacillate between the protection of sensitive information and allowing mobile workers free and flexible application access outside of the traditional office space.

Developing your framework: filling in the gaps

To address the needs of the end-user without adversely affecting cybersecurity initiatives, a holistic framework capable of addressing the broad proliferation of end-user computing avenues is required. The challenge is allocating the right people to implement a strategy that will ensure all needs are addressed, while still keeping security as the highest priority.

With cybersecurity at the forefront of any list of priorities, many CIOs are understandably uncomfortable in an environment where the employee is granted ubiquitous access to the network from anywhere in the world. Going forward, firm, transparent policies will be required to augment embedded security controls already in place.

Securing data: when is your data at risk?

Fortunately, technology—from mobile device management (MDM) to wraparound mobile enterprise management—has matured enough in the last four or five years, such that secure policy-driven processes can be implemented without encumbering the seamlessness of the experience for the end-user.

Clear view of security:Transparency in communicating policies

The need for simplicity, productivity and ease of access cannot be understated. Flexible and intuitive experiences are key in an environment where the needs of the end-user are driving an entire paradigm shift.

The evolution ofcollaborationthrough mobility

Policies and systems implemented by CIOs should not inhibit an end-user’s access to enterprise applications or the corporate intranet. Seamless interaction with colleagues and organisational applications – from anywhere, at any time – is of paramount importance to the workforce. Without it, the organisation risks their security though the potential adoption of shadow IT.

The evolution of collaboration through mobility… continued

Coinciding with the propagation of transparent security policies, organisations need to continually educate employees, encouraging vigilance as well as end-user roles and responsibilities.

Inside and out – security education

Ultimately, policies relating to security and privacy come down to the organisations implementing them, as well as the countries in which they reside. That’s fairly evident when looking at the disparities between various regions, highlighted in our Mobile Workforce Report (MWR).

Mobility initiativesacross the map

Unsurprisingly, the unpredictable and varied nature of a mobile workforce concerns CIOs. Maintaining workspaces with inconsistent perimeters and erratic points of access, that demand pliable yet secure networks, is no mean feat. Nevertheless, the mobile worker has become the norm rather than the exception, and it is only through embracing workspaces for tomorrow that organisations will be assured of a successful future.

Smarter, faster security for mobility