System News for Sun Users

How Key MDM Features Affect Mobile Security Policy Management

2013-06-12T16:00:00+01:00

"There's no doubt that IT security professionals charged with securing enterprise information assets know that mobile devices present new challenges. As the role, variability and specific requirements of mobile devices become increasingly important within the enterprise, so do the controls necessary to secure data accessed by those devices.

In order for security managers to ensure corporate data is secure, they require an accurate and comprehensive view into rapidly shifting employees' work and device preferences..."

8 Steps CIOs Should Take to Maximize BYOD ROI

2013-06-10T16:00:00+01:00

"An effective BYOD program balances the organization�'s requirements with the requirements of the employees. Here are key steps that enterprises need to take to ensure successful BYOD rollout..."

Management Readiness Assessment
Define BYOD Program Charter
Create a BYOD Governing Council
Create IT Process Group
Assess, Choose and Operationalize tools
Connecting Employee Devices:
Roll out Strategy for BYOD Program
Effective Communication Plan and Post Deployment Support

Read on for details.

Ten Tips for Realizing a True Mobile Enterprise

2013-06-10T16:00:00+01:00

"A mobile enterprise is one where people can work from anywhere, anytime. There is a host of reasons businesses are finding it hard to 'go mobile.' First of all, mobile at work means a lot more than having access to a smartphone or tablet..."

Clearly define business goals of the mobile initiative
Focus on collaborative activities
Articulate the goals of the initiative
Brand the initiative
Embrace BYOD
Provide a consistent user experience
Provide appropriate levels of security
Don't make people change the way they work
Train workers appropriately and start slowly
Identify 'connectors'

Read on for details.

Mobile Phone Security No-Brainer: Use a Device Passcode

2013-06-03T16:00:00+01:00

"When it comes to smartphone safety, the single most important thing a mobile phone owner can do is lock the device with a unique, four-digit PIN.

That's been the opinion of many experts for years, but the advice still holds, including from Microsoft's chief online safety officer, Jacqueline Beauchere..."

Rude and Overworked? Blame Tech

2013-05-29T16:00:00+01:00

"IT execs say employees are getting ruder on the job, and they're blaming technology for the rise in bad manners. Specifically, mobile technology is leading to more breaches in workplace etiquette, according to survey data from Robert Half Technology.

The IT staffing specialist polled 2,300 CIOs from U.S. companies with at least 100 employees. The CIOs were asked what effect the increased use of mobile electronic gadgets has had on workplace etiquette, and 64% said etiquette breaches have increased. That's up from 51% who said the same thing in 2010. Nearly a third (32%) said etiquette lapses have stayed the same, and 4% noted a decrease. .."

An Ugly Prediction about Forced BYOD

2013-05-28T16:00:00+01:00

"A horror story could unfold if Gartner is correct that many businesses will soon be forcing their employees to bring their own devices to work. It might seem like great news to people who want to use their own gear, but the policy could turn ugly for both employees and IT departments.

Based on Gartner's survey of CIOs around the world, 38 percent of enterprises expect to stop providing devices to employees by 2016, and 50 percent expect to do so by 2017. Gartner says about half of businesses with bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs currently provide some reimbursement to employees. However, reimbursement for the entire cost 'will become rare'..."

How Limited Mobile Device Support Can Help IT Handle Consumerization

2013-05-28T16:00:00+01:00

"Embracing the consumerization of IT doesn't mean you have to support every new device or service that comes down the pike.

American Nuclear Insurers, a power insurer in Glastonbury, Conn., has had mobile workers since the mid-1990s. And Dan Antion, vice president of information services, said he understands that employees who want to be more productive are driving the consumerization trend. But his four-person IT department doesn't officially permit consumer cloud storage use or offer mobile device support for Android because of security concerns and staffing limitations.

Antion shared his experiences with the consumerization trend and how his company has incorporated mobility and cloud computing in secure and manageable ways..."

BYOD Means the Map is No Longer the Territory

2013-05-20T16:00:00+01:00

"In the modern enterprise, the map is no longer the territory, writes Adrian Wright. The "map" in this case represents the inventory and network diagrams that used to tell IT people where all the systems and endpoints were on their network, while the "territory" represents the reality of what is actually out there and connecting in.

Prior to the mobile and bring your own device BYOD explosion, the map and the territory were pretty much the same, give or take, but I believe this is no longer the case and is becoming less so every day..."

Embrace BYOD and Manage the Risks

2013-05-20T16:00:00+01:00

"Everyone wants to have the latest technology and the coolest device. Consequently, we are breaking our corporate perimeter, and we will keep doing that, bringing disruption in what once was the preserve of the business: information technology.

This is the era of consumerisation, with devices that are as capable and powerful as �- or even more powerful than �- the computers in the office.

We are witnessing an era in which information is stored almost everywhere..."

Managing the Mobile Enterprise

2013-05-20T16:00:00+01:00

"Mobile working has brought new challenges for IT departments, but the fundamentals of managing them remain the same.

Many new technologies appear to be completely different and disruptive to the status quo, suggesting they need to be considered and managed in an entirely new way; but as reality bites, it turns out that the fundamentals of management change very little..."

Security Managers Still Don't Get Mobile Security

2013-05-20T16:00:00+01:00

"For the past several months, security veteran Aaron Turner has been making the rounds at industry events presenting some pretty disturbing information about the state of mobile security.

Turner, a former strategist in the security division of Microsoft, should know. He's been working, researching and developing in the mobile space for years. After Microsoft, he to begin research and development at the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory. For two years, Turner worked on, and eventually patented, a cell phone-based payment and identification system which became the basis for his start-up, RFinity..."

Which Workers Are the Best Fit for BYOD?

2013-05-20T16:00:00+01:00

"What kinds of workers should be allowed to use their smartphones and tablets on the job, in a growing trend called "Bring Your Own Device," or BYOD? Opposing sides are forming about two distinct groups: hourly workers and salespeople.

For hourly workers, BYOD promises great productivity gains and significant cost savings, particularly for entry level employees who don't qualify for corporate-issued devices..."

BYOD Policy: Employee Right to Social Media Privacy Is Paramount

2013-05-13T16:00:00+01:00

"If your company lets employees bring their own devices for work purposes, you'd better have a formal BYOD policy -- one that understands employee privacy rights and employer access rights.

Such policies are often crafted by legal experts for good reason. Violations of certain rights can land companies in hot water. Management consulting firm Janco Associates has created a 14-page BYOD policy template covering everything from help and support to disaster recovery to access control..."

What I'm Learning about Mobile Computing Security Best Practices

2013-05-06T16:00:00+01:00

"I started my career at EMC in 1987... I've had PCs at every job since, but it wasn't until the mid-to-late 1990s until any of these machines had any security software installed on them. In fact, I think it was the rise of spyware that drove the deployment of security software somewhere around 1999.

I use my personal history to illustrate a point: PC infrastructure, management, and operations was fairly mature before security software became a requirement. Because of this, PC management was never quite aligned with PC security. This remains true today..."

BYOD to Become the Norm for Half of Employers by 2017: Gartner

2013-05-01T16:00:00+01:00

"Corporate-owned devices are losing their luster.

That's the message from Gartner, whose latest forecast indicates that the bring your own device (BYOD) movement is more than just a passing fad. BYOD, which is making iPad sightings in the workplace a common occurrence, will soon become business as usual for a growing number of organizations.

The research firm predicts that by 2017, employees will be required to provide their own devices at half of all workplaces. In its global survey of CIOs, Gartner also discovered that by 2016, 38 percent of companies expect that they'll no longer be issuing devices to their workers..."

Do Our Mobile Devices Turn Us Into Teenagers?

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"Do we become different people when we fire up our mobile devices? Could be. In fact, a significant share of users say they feel entitled to do pretty much whatever they want while on their smartphones or tablets, according to a recent survey from McCann Truth Central. For many people, that means illegal downloading, cursing and even sexting..."

4 Mobile Predictions CIOs Should Watch For

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"Consumerization of IT and the bring-your-own-device trend continues to create headaches for many CIOs.

While privacy implications and data loss risks keep many C-level IT execs up at night, according to Chenxi Wang, analyst for Forrester Research, there are signs that emerging technologies will provide administrators with better tools to manage the growing ranks of worker-owned devices in the enterprise..."

4 Mobile Security Predictions to Help CIOs Plan for the Future

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"Few things can keep CIOs up at night these days like mobility, particularly bring your own device (BYOD). After all, mobile, consumerization of IT and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) are turning enterprise security models on their heads. Privacy implications--let alone the potential for data loss and data leakage--are enough to make a CIO break out in a cold sweat...

Mobile Prediction 1: Personal Devices Will Become the Norm
Mobile Prediction 2: Seamless, On-Demand Mobile 'Virtualization' Will Overtake MDM
Mobile Prediction 3: HTML5 Enterprise Apps Will Proliferate
Mobile Prediction 4: Identity-based Mobile Services Will Put Privacy in the Spotlight

Read on for details.

Have You Really Started A Mobile Strategy?

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"You probably have an app. We have an app. But do you really have a mobile strategy for how those apps fit into your business model? Is there a plan for keeping the creative energy focused on your apps so customers drool instead of mock? How are you building the in-house skills and collaboration to meet expectations that get higher with every smartphone and mobile game that's launched? Are you giving employees mobile capabilities that make them anywhere near as efficient running their business lives as their personal lives?..."

How QR Codes Can Hack Your Phone

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"With the huge popularity in mobile devices like the smartphone and tablets, two-dimensional barcodes, also called QR codes, are beloved by marketers. QR codes, or Quick Response codes, were designed for the automotive industry in Japan. Now, QR codes have become popular outside the industry due to greater reliability and storage space.

Originally designed for industrial application, the QR code has gained popularity in the advertising industry..."

Keeping Up With Mobility Acronyms

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"If you are trying to keep up with mobility acronyms, here is a quick guide:.."

CoIT - Consumerzation of IT
BYOD - Bring-Your-Own-Device
MDM - Mobile Device Management
MCM - Mobile Content Management
MADP - Mobile Application Development Platform

Read on for details.

3 Keys to a Successful Mobile Deployment

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"Evaluating, selecting, and deploying a mobile solution are very challenging for many companies. In today�'s technology-driven world, the options are virtually endless (which translates to overwhelming). Mix in a little budget and timeframe pressure along with some employees who may be resistant to change and you can have yourself an uphill battle. That said, the benefits of mobility are clear �' so it�'s a battle that�'s well worth fighting. Here are a couple of tips to make your mobile deployment process as easy as it can be..."

Define Clear Goals For Your Mobile Solution
Do Due Diligence In Technology Selection
Don�'t Ignore The Need For Change Management

Read on for details.

Army Has Lost Control of Its Mobile Devices, Says DOD IG

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"The inspector general of the Defense Department reports that the Army�'s Chief Information Office/G-6 has, in essence, lost control over commercial mobile devices (CMD) within the Army, and that more than 14,000 smartphones and tablets are untracked. The upshot is that the Army CIO office does not have an effective cybersecurity program that identifies and mitigates risks surrounding CMDs and removable media, according to the DOD IG..."

Report Thumping Army for Mobile Cyber Security Efforts Yanked Off DoD Website

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"A report from the Inspector General of the U.S Department of Defense that's critical of the way the Army has handled mobile-device security has been inexplicably yanked from the IG DoD public website but can still be found in the Google caching system.

The IG DoD report No. DODIG-2013-060, entitled 'Improvements Needed With Tracking and Configuring Army Commercial Mobile Devices,' dated March 26, flatly states the Army's chief information officer 'did not implement an effective cybersecurity program for commercial mobile devices.' The Inspector General of the DoD is the independent oversight division in the DoD that investigates whether the DoD is operating effectively and efficiently..."

CIOs Must Move From 'Mobile First' to 'Mobile Only'

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"Mobile is top-of-mind for most CIOs today. However, while many IT leaders are focused on enabling existing business processes and operations in a mobile framework, CIOs with an eye to the future are thinking about how mobile can transform the business and enable new use cases..."

Enterprises Must Close Security Gap in Mobile Devices

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"Late in 2012, the International Association of IT Asset Managers Inc. (IAITAM) conducted a survey focused on how mobile asset management is being incorporated into the workplace. The survey defined a mobile asset to include laptops as well as tablets and smartphones.

The survey results show that the introduction of mobile assets causes difficulties for IT managers but remains a prevalent requirement, due to employee expectations and the consumerization movement..."

Forrester Research Calls Mobile-Device Management 'Heavy-Handed Approach'

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"Forrester Research predicts that with the "bring your own device" (BYOD) trend expected to increasingly include laptops in addition to smartphones and tablets, the approach to managing those devices is in for some big changes.

In its 2013 "Mobile Security Predictions" report, Forrester says that "on-demand mobile virtualization will overtake mobile-device management" as a core technology that IT professionals will turn to as a way "to segregate business content and data from the personal environment" in mobile devices..."

How Smart Companies Manage BYOD

2013-04-22T16:00:00+01:00

"Only a few years ago, overseeing a workforce armed with mobile technology was a fairly straightforward proposition. The enterprise purchased a separate phone for business use, it controlled what applications and content went on the phone, and decided when the employee would upgrade to a new device. The biggest question on the minds of CIOs was whether to equip employees with a basic cell phone or a BlackBerry..."

10 Tips to Improve Mobile Security

2013-03-26T16:00:00+01:00

"Regardless of whether we're doing online banking, researching new markets, working in the cloud, or simply surfing, we're at risk of becoming a victim of hackers. IT departments take extensive steps to protect data, networks, and devices, but in an era of BYOD and increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals, employees also have to safeguard themselves.

The times when telephones were used solely for making phone calls are long gone. Smartphones and tablets can be used anywhere for practically any function, yet they have their drawbacks. Symantec's State of Mobility survey found that users' biggest fears are devices being lost or stolen, the loss of data, and outsiders gaining unauthorized access to company resources. Unfortunately, all these fears are well founded..."

Tips and Advice for Removing Data from Old Mobile Devices

2013-03-18T16:00:00+01:00

"AVG Technologies N.V., the provider of Internet and mobile security to 146 million active users, today released valuable tips on how consumers can remove their personal data before they recycle or throw away their old smartphones. In an era of frequent and seamless device upgrades, it's easy to ditch an old handset and move on to the next. However, chances are the old device has personal information lingering on it, putting consumers at a greater risk of identity theft..."