Small and medium businesses will choose to provide employees with mobile devices for convenience, remote work, or many other reasons. When introducing mobile devices to a small business network, it is critical that steps are taken to secure the device and ensure it cannot act as an easy attack vector for malicious actors. Hackers have begun targeting mobile devices in their attack strategies because they are often easy targets when they are not properly secured or when employees are not taught how to keep their information safe while on the move. Understanding that bad actors leverage weak mobile device cybersecurity is a strong first step, but here are important steps your business can take to better secure its devices!
Mobile Device Management
For mobile devices owned by the company, SMBs can use a mobile device management (MDM) platform. These platforms make it easy to onboard new employees with a device and manage the device remotely. The IT team member or IT consultant that manages the MDM can troubleshoot problems for the phone’s user, monitor the device’s health, enforce company password policies, wipe the phone clean, and even initiate software updates. Having an MDM platform can help make monitoring and updating devices easier for the company, but it may not be as helpful with bring your own device (BYOD) policies, so SMBs should consider if they want to implement a BYOD policy and how this affects use of an MDM platform.
Cybersecurity Solutions
Along with an MDM platform, SMBs want to install and use cybersecurity solutions on their mobile devices. Endpoint protection software can be specialized for mobile devices, and this solution will function similarly to the endpoint protection for desktops. Employees should also have access to a VPN and be provided the training they need to know how to use it and how frequently they should rely on the VPN when they are not able to access a secure network. Additionally, multifactor authentication (MFA) solutions should be implemented on the devices used by employees to help secure their accounts and applications they use. These security solutions can help secure company devices and support BYOD policies!
Policies and Training
No matter how an SMB decides to deploy and manage their mobile devices, it should develop detailed policies and reliable training that will equip employees with the skills and habits they need to use their devices safely. Training for these devices should include information on when to use VPNs, common phishing strategies, attack strategies unique to the company’s industry, and attacks that specifically target mobile devices. Employees must be prepared to handle the regular threats they will see in the office but also the unique attacks, such as smishing, that try to take advantage of poor cybersecurity habits when using mobile devices.
Summary
A mobile device can be a valuable tool to workers that do their job remotely or are required to travel regularly. However, small and medium businesses must prepare their employees to help mitigate the attack surface that comes with using mobile devices, whether they are company owned are part of a BYOD policy. Robinett Consulting believes SMBs should have every tool available that they need along with the cybersecurity measures needed to keep those tools safe. That’s why we want to partner with your business today to help plan your mobile device management and give you the advice your business needs to operate securely while on the move!
