The shift in devices used by today’s workforce has resulted in increases in cybersecurity concerns and incidents, despite a majority of orgs with defined BYOD programs in place.
For most organizations today, the employee’s mobile device is now the perimeter. The intersection of the employee, the device, email, and the web is now the frontlines of the war against cyberattacks. Over half (56%) of orgs rely on at least four to eight enterprise applications for productivity, making these devices critical for the business to remain operational. So, it makes sense that a material effort be put into securing mobile use. But according to new data from Zimperium’s 2022 Global Mobile Threat Report, the mobile perimeter is anything but secure.
While 66% of organizations have active BYOD programs in place, and 74% have a defined BYOD policy, there are material security issues that abound. According to the report:
- 42% of respondents reported that mobile devices and web applications have led to a security incident
- 42% of respondents reported unauthorized apps and resources accessing enterprise data
This has apparently raised concerns for security leaders, where:
- 35% are still concerned about remote users and the security risk they bring with them
- 30% about the BYOD devices being used
- 11% about the mobile phones and mobile devices being used
With what is likely a myriad of devices, it makes sense to work to secure the one thing they all have in common: the user. If you can educate the user via Security Awareness Training to be mindful to use good cybersecurity practices, and be wary of phishing and social engineering attacks, the risk involved with allowing mobile device usage will reduce significantly.
