Latin America. There are companies that live in a dilemma or have not known how to prepare for the risks that can be caused by mobility and apps in corporate environments. Therefore, we present four general recommendations to reduce risks in companies.
For productivity reasons, most employees today want access to their mail, databases, information and company systems at any time, no matter where they connect from, the type of device or the time they do it. More and more companies are giving these facilities to their staff, but a large number live in a dilemma or have not known how to prepare for the consequences or possible security risks involved in mobility.
There are also companies that do not provide such facilities, which, in turn, can cause risks, since surely their employees will seek mobility on their own. It is estimated that 2 out of 5 employees copy work files to their personal devices without authorization, and that in 75% of organizations there is an improper or unauthorized use of systems that allow saving or sharing files in the cloud.
40% of companies do not analyze the applications (apps) used by their employees or that they have developed for their customers, to verify that they do not have any security vulnerability. Gartner estimated in 2014 that 75% of apps would not pass basic security tests. Therefore, IT managers in companies have the challenge of assimilating this phenomenon and defining how to facilitate it, with the due level of security, without assuming a tax stance.
Four general recommendations to reduce risk when it comes to mobility and apps in enterprise environments
1) Educate employees: Develop education campaigns that motivate action consciously and not as an imposition. If employees understand the risks that exist, they will be more careful and collaborate to keep the company safe.
2) Include mobile environments in security policies: More and more devices, networks and systems are used from outside the office, so we must establish rules of the game for apps and keep updated the policies of use and validation as mobility grows in companies.
3) Test the applications: Each organization must define the allowed apps, also consider the most popular ones and verify that they are reliable through a vulnerability analysis. You can create an app store for download, once approved. In this way the risk decreases.
4) Play as a team: It is essential that IT professionals interact with other areas, know and be sensitive to user needs and trends. This is important when developing strategies and policies that support the company's goals. An IT leader must explain to managers the risks that exist and show that decisions about which apps can be used are due to risks and not on a whim or restriction. It is important to team up and keep communication open with the other areas of the company.
Undoubtedly, having secure apps and a risk-free mobile environment will allow companies and their employees to be more productive without compromising their peace of mind or exposing themselves to unnecessary risks.
