Today’s business sphere is heavily reliant upon a variety of technological tools and devices.
Cell phones, tablets, and laptops can help you to complete daily tasks in less time, save money on staffing, and streamline existing processes.
But, depending on mobile devices to complete work tasks can also leave your company vulnerable to cyber threats.
Keep your devices protected, without sacrificing functionality or productivity, by following these guidelines.
Find Active and Potential Threats
Being proactive is the safest, and simplest, method when it comes to data security.
One of the best ways to reduce the impact of data breaches is to prevent them from happening in the first place.
Even before you have any suspicions that an attack might be underway, it’s helpful to understand why someone would want to target your operation.
Does your company host personal information that could lead to identity theft if accessed by the wrong entity? Do you harbor trade secrets that are integral to the success of your business?
Determining and identifying your valuable data could help you learn how to keep your eyes sharpened for questionable activity.
Use a Strong Security Program
Without virus protection or monitoring software, you’re left in the dark if an attacker decides to target your company’s information.
Mobile device management programs allow you to proactively manage your workers’ online activity, helping you to prevent data loss and misuse.
Additionally, you can control the level of coverage you use across all company devices.
By utilizing mobile device management as a service, you can get all of the protection without the hassle.
Rather than overseeing security actions independently, you can sit back while skilled professionals set up your devices for secure success.
When it comes to keeping your information safe, the infrastructure you set up is critical. Don’t risk missing a threat because of oversight.
Mobile device management is more than a way to simplify your enterprise mobility system. When deployed properly, it can act as a safety net that manages and organizes your company’s mobile device usage.
Don’t Skip Software Updates
Cybercriminals are smart, and they are learning more and more each day. Don’t be fooled into thinking that your devices are good to go as soon as you take them out of the box.
Give your suite of mobile devices a fighting chance by using up-to-date apps and programs.
Avoiding your device’s system update reduces its ability to fight digital attacks, including malware and spyware.
Updates also keep your devices running smoothly and efficiently. Postponing them for too long can affect workflows because it makes the device more susceptible to slowing down or crashing.
Next time you’re tempted to brush off that annoying update notification, think twice. It could be what stands between your data and a malicious user.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication
If company devices happen to end up in the wrong hands, you could lose trade secrets, personal information, and more.
Multi-factor authentication prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to locked devices.
Rather than only using a password or code, you are also required to provide additional information. This might include a security question, biometric scan, or secondary passcode.
Prevent unauthorized users from accessing proprietary company information with multi-factor authentication.
Perform Regular System Audits
If you want to keep your data safe, you need to stay informed.
Schedule audits periodically with a professional cybersecurity consultant. They’ll have a clear idea about what to look for, and they can help you determine next steps if a threat or vulnerability is found.
Hiring an on-site employee to perform these duties will give you the most coverage. But, you can also hire a consultant on an as-needed basis.
Discovering vulnerabilities and weaknesses in your network or suite of devices can help prevent breaches or data loss.
Establish an End-of-Day Protocol
The small size of most mobile devices keeps them practical and convenient. Unfortunately, that also makes them prone to theft and loss.
Ensuring that all devices are accounted for at the end of each day is a crucial element of information security.
Whether or not employees need to use their equipment offsite, you need to keep track of each device.
Implement a usage policy that requires each employee to log when they take their devices home with them. Additionally, it can be helpful to monitor when devices leave and re-enter your office.
This keeps employees accountable and allows you to more accurately keep track of your inventory.
If possible, you should keep devices on company property at all times. This limits your data’s exposure to insecure mobile networks, unauthorized users, and other security threats.
Consider Cyber Crime Insurance
Crime insurance protects your company from the direct loss of revenue as a result of internal or external threats.
Cyber liability insurance is similar, but it’s specifically for digital crimes.
Data breaches are extremely costly, and most companies aren’t prepared to survive one.
With a cyber insurance policy, you have a backup plan when it comes to restoring your system and financially surviving an attack.
Cyber insurance doesn’t protect you from every type of online threat.
Manual attacks like phishing, spear phishing, ransomware can still cause extensive damage to your brand and reputation. In these cases, making sure that your employees are informed and prepared to handle cyber threats is your best line of defense.
Prioritize Training and Informational Materials
Accidents happen, but social engineering is one of the most common ways that attackers use to access data.
If your employees are poorly informed, they might be unprepared when skilled cyber criminal tries to siphon information from them.
Companies use a variety of different methods to educate employees about information security.
Depending on your office size, environment, and culture, what works best for your team could vary greatly from another company. Video tutorials, mock scenarios, quizzes, and printed collateral are common mediums.
Keeping your employees interested and engaged is the best way to ensure that the information will stick. Information should be concise, relevant, and easy to understand.
Mobile devices are a lifesaver in the workplace. We’ve become adapted to having fully functional computers in our hands at all times. Even though they make our lives easier, mobile devices can also cause a considerable amount of damage if they’re used incorrectly.
Adopt these guidelines to keep your company’s suite of mobile devices, and your data, secure.
About The Author :
Aqib Raja is a Digital Marketer, Link builder and an IT Professional. He loves to write on different topics. In free time, he likes to travel and explore the different parts of the world. You can follow him on Facebook.
