Businesses uncertain how to deal with BYOD security threat ...

Tineka Smith Published 24 May 2012

As the bring your own device trend continues to grow, research shows that UK and US businesses are uncertain how to properly protect their networks

According to research by Tenable Network Security over 90% of businesses in the UK and US say mobile devices pose a threat to their business.

Companies said they have no certain plan of action for identifying mobile threats that could be attacking their network.

Over 60% of UK businesses have attempted to control the BYOD trend by creating a clear written policy about bringing mobile devices to work. 31% of US businesses said they had BYOD policies to address security issues but reported their employees actively ignored the policies.

"Smart devices entering the workplace represent a combination of opportunity and threat; so organisations must understand the bigger picture of where information rests and flows within the network," said Ron Gula, CEO of Tenable Network Security.

The BYOD phenomenon is creating a significant security issue for enterprises worldwide and creating new challenges for IT Teams.

"When it comes to mobile security, all smartphones and tablets share a common set of challenges: they carry lots of data; they are often riding around in someone's pocket where they can be easily misplaced; they transfer data over a network that can be intercepted; and they run applications that may or may not be well written," said Gula.

"Placing important data on a mobile device where it's easy to lose, steal, or rootkit offers the same problem as uncontrolled laptops, only worse," he added.

Organisations will benefit from implementing infrastructures that will be able to support employee mobile devices accessing company networks.

"The IT network management environment is only going to become more complex and challenging, both internally and externally - so businesses must ensure that they can see what's happening at every moment before something happens that they weren't expecting."

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