What is Enterprise Mobility Security?

Mobile technology is changing the way businesses operate. As more employees are using smartphones, tablets, and laptops for work-related tasks, organizations are challenged by new security risks. Enterprise mobility security focuses on securing enterprise data and systems accessed through mobile devices. This approach uses an assortment of tools, policies, and practices that ensure company data remains protected while allowing employees to work from any location.

In this blog, we will discuss enterprise mobility security, why it matters in today’s business scenario, key benefits, and its core components. We will also explore the common challenges and best practices to be followed by organizations. We also take a close look at some actual scenarios involving mobile security breaches and discuss how SentinelOne solutions enable business operations on the go for mobile security.

What is Enterprise Mobility Security?

Enterprise mobility security is the approach to securing access to company information through mobile devices. It secures business data when employees use smartphones, tablets, and laptops outside a traditional office environment. This security strategy manages risk when work is done by the employee on personal devices or on company devices that travel to several locations.

Traditional security approaches were designed for networks in a steadier state (i.e., computers remained in one location). Solutions like firewalls and access controls were designed with the assumption that users would access from known locations on corporate-owned devices. Mobility security works in a different way. It needs to secure data across various device types, operating systems, and network connections. It protects data irrespective of the location from which a user connects and assumes that devices may be used by other people or lost.

Why is enterprise mobility security essential?

After the pandemic forced companies to change their work habits, the need for mobile security is now greater than ever. For most companies, remote working has become the new normal from working from home, working from coffee shops, and working while traveling.

Instead of programs that run on office computers, employees today have accessed such systems through a web browser or mobile app. While this offers greater flexibility to workers, it also introduces potential new security vulnerabilities. Every cloud service requires its own security configuration and access control, and employees may use services without IT approval.

Modern businesses have a far larger attack surface. Security teams had been watching over hundreds or thousands of endpoints connecting to any location instead of protecting a single office network. Every single device is a point of entry from which an attack can happen.

Benefits of Enterprise Mobility Security

Enterprise mobility security is beneficial for organizations for more than just preventing an attack. These advantages ensure that businesses also operate more efficiently while protecting sensitive information across all devices and remote work situations.

Secure enablement of remote and mobile workforces

Enterprise mobility security enables businesses to empower their mobile workforce without compromising on security. This enables employees to remotely connect to company resources while identity and transit security ensures their identities are verified and that the data being transmitted is kept secure. This security framework enables work that needs to happen outside traditional offices and does not introduce intolerable risk.

Reduced risk of data breaches and compliance violations

Making a mobile security strategy as comprehensive as possible greatly reduces the likelihood of expensive data breaches. Companies ensure external attacks, as well as accidental data leaks, are avoided by restricting the use of sensitive information on mobile devices. This also helps fulfill regulatory and industry requirements such as the GDPR and HIPAA since security systems create detailed audit trails that reveal who had access to what information, how, and when; compliance reporting can be done much easier.

Improved visibility and control over mobile endpoints

Enterprise mobility security helps IT teams gain pixel-clear visibility of all the devices that are connected to corporate assets. Having device status, such as OS versions, applications installed, and security settings, is a capability of security platforms. The entire visibility allows teams to identify the issues quickly and act before the issue turns critical. Organizations can create policies for all devices, such as requiring a screen lock, using encryption, and applying security updates.

Secure application usage and data transmission

Mobile security tools manage the apps that are permitted to access corporate data and the ways in which that data flows between systems. Essentially, these tools make sure that the apps are tested for security practices before allowing them to handle sensitive data. The data transferred between devices and corporate systems can be encrypted to prevent any information interception, even if the employees are using public networks. Security systems can also block data from flowing to unauthorized apps or other storage locations and stop data leaks right on the source side.

Enhanced incident response and threat detection for mobile endpoints

When security issues occur, mobile security systems facilitate rapidly detecting and addressing any situation at hand. Higher-level tools track how devices behave and look for unusual behavior that indicates an attack is happening. When someone attempts to do something potentially harmful, such as entering incorrect login credentials many times or transferring data to an unapproved server, they get alerts sent to security teams. When a device is compromised, security platforms can quarantine them off the network.

Key Components of Enterprise Mobility Security

There are a number of key technologies that need to work in concert to implement effective mobility security. These core components are designed to provide organizations with a way to balance mobile access security and usability for employees.

Mobile device management (MDM)

MDM provides centralized management of mobile devices. Mobile device management (MDM) systems allow IT departments to remotely configure security settings, download mandatory applications, and enforce corporate policies on smartphones and tablets. DLP adds data separation for work vs personal data on the same device, increasing the security of BYOD. If a device is lost or stolen, MDM allows remote lock or wipe company data. MDM also manages the entire lifecycle of the device, from provisioning and configuration to retirement, securing the device at every point in the lifecycle.

Mobile threat defense (MTD)

Mobile threat defense tools actively protect against malicious apps, network attacks, and device vulnerabilities. These security systems scan to identify compromised devices and scan for suspicious behavior, such as lateral movement, that might indicate an attack. The detection and blocking of malware before damage is done, even if the antivirus cloud is unaware of the malware, MTD identifies them via their behaviors. The latter also scans for device vulnerabilities, such as an outdated operating system or if security features are disabled.

Identity and access management (IAM)

Identity and access management limits which users can access which company resources and what they are allowed to do with that access. IAM systems authenticate users using various measures such as passwords, biometrics, and security tokens to protect against unauthorized access. They adhere to the principle of least privilege, granting users access only within the confines of their specific role. IAM also facilitates Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities that offer enhanced security and user experience, reducing password fatigue.

Secure VPNs and containerization

Virtual private networks (VPNs) and application containerization create secure pathways for mobile work. They protect the data transferring between mobile devices and company networks by encrypting it so it is protected from interception on even unsecured public Wi-Fi. Containerization separates work apps and data from personal, creating secure, encrypted zones on devices. These secure containers stop any data from leaking between work and personal apps while allowing both to exist on the same device.

Encryption and data loss prevention (DLP)

Encryption and DLP technologies work by securing data both in use on physical devices and while in transit between systems. With data being completely unreadable without the proper authorization, data protection is maximized even if an engineer loses or has a device stolen. DLP solutions keep an eye on the mobile app activity of how penetrative data is employed, shared, and stored on a particular mobile device. They can stop users from being allowed in certain activities like copy-pasting company data into personal apps, taking screenshots of confidential information, or sending protected data through channels not authorized by the company.

Challenges in Enterprise Mobility Security

There are some challenges that are valuable to security teams when developing realistic strategies for how to secure against mobile attacks.

Device diversity and OS fragmentation

Security challenges arise because of the diversity of mobile devices and operating system versions. While traditional IT environments have pretty much standardized on the same types of equipment, mobile security must work across many device types, manufacturers, and OS versions. Dozens of manufacturers make Android hardware, and each makes its own version of the software. There are generations of iOS devices with different security capabilities. Such diversity also makes it impossible to implement uniform security controls across the entire mobile fleet.

User behavior and lack of awareness

Employees often recycle passwords, postpone updates, or access insecure networks without enforcing security protocols. Mobile devices are inherently more personal than office desktop machines, leading to more risky behavior, like installing games or personal apps that could contain malware. Mobile threats tend to receive less security awareness attention than, say, traditional computer security. Individuals who would never actually click on questionable e-mail hyperlinks will likely click on comparable hyperlinks in text messages or social networking apps.

Shadow IT and unsanctioned apps

Employees move freely outside the confines of corporate data, often accessing non-sanctioned apps and services to get their work done, creating security blind spots. This “shadow” IT occurs when users perceive the tools companies have given them as unable to meet their needs or simply limited, cumbersome, and bulky compared to consumer-facing alternatives. Instances where apps are developed are deemed as Shadow IT as they bypass these security controls, which at a later point can lead to data leakage or compliance violations. Finding and installing new apps couldn’t be easier thanks to mobile app stores, and this phenomenon often entices this kind of behavior.

Balancing security with user productivity

In mobile security, perhaps the biggest problem is security without interrupting productivity. Too much friction generated by strong security controls can annoy users. Lengthy password policies, constant requests for authentication, or downright impossible access limits might drive employees into workarounds that reduce security instead. Adoption suffers, and security measures get bypassed when security slows them down too much or makes mobile access too cumbersome. Each security control implemented must be weighed against the impact on the user experience for the organization.

Best Practices for Enterprise Mobility Security

By applying some of the best practices, organizations can easily improve their mobile security posture against common risks.

Establishing clear BYOD policies

Effective policies should specify the devices that access company resources and the security requirements those devices must comply with. The policies will tell you what company data you can access on a personal device and how that data protects you. Effective BYOD policies will advise employees what rights the company has to their devices when remote wiping will happen, if any monitoring will take place, etc.

Implementing zero trust principles for mobile access

Zero Trust security model eliminates the automatic trust given to any user or device. In this model, everyone is authenticated, even if they’re remote and even if they’ve connected before accessing resources. Zero Trust maintains the posture that threats can exist in and outside the network perimeter. So, for mobile security, this translates to ensuring the health of the device and the identity of the user for each access attempt. Adaptive or context-aware access controls check several conditions, such as location, time, device security level, and the user’s behavior patterns, before allowing access.

Enforcing device encryption and strong authentication

Encryption and strong authentication are the bedrock components of device-level security. Full-device encryption protects data on lost or stolen devices by making information unreadable without required authentication. Companies should implement encryption on all devices capable of accessing sensitive data, including personal devices. Strong authentication includes anything that is more than a simple password (like biometrics, security keys, or some type of authentication app). Multi-factor authentication enhances security by demanding two or more verification methods before granting access.

Regular security awareness training for mobile users

Security training programs must include information about phishing on mobile devices, tips on how to make sure only secure apps are being installed on devices, and hints on how to use public wi-fi securely. It must also include the threat of physical access, i.e., accessing and reading an unencrypted screen sitting behind you (shoulder surfing) wirelessly (mobile devices) or someone stealing the device. Routine simulated phishing tests encourage employees to become more adept at identifying suspicious messages on mobile devices. Security awareness is best maintained through shorter, frequent training modules rather than a once-a-year-long session.

Continuous monitoring and threat hunting across mobile devices

With proactive monitoring, teams identify and address security issues before they cause irreversible damage. Security teams should deploy solutions that allow for continuous monitoring of the status of devices, the behavior of users on the network, and validation of established connections to identify potential compromises. It should provide automated alerts for suspicious activities such as abnormal access patterns, multiple failed logins, or connection attempts to know compromised servers. Vulnerability scans are regularly conducted to uncover the devices with missing patches or that have security weaknesses.

Examples of Enterprise Mobility Security Breaches

Learning about actual security incidents helps organizations avoid some of the pitfalls and vulnerabilities in their own systems. The following case studies illustrate the impact of mobile security failures on businesses.

Uber data breach via compromised mobile credentials

In 2016, Uber had a huge data breach involving 57 million customers and drivers. The hackers accessed Uber’s Github account using credentials obtained from an employee and found AWS access keys, allowing them to connect to Uber’s back-end cloud storage. It saw names, email addresses, phone numbers, and driver’s license numbers compromised. It stemmed from login credentials that had not been secured by multi-factor authentication.

Instead of quickly announcing the breach, Uber further amplified the issue by paying the attackers $100,000 to delete the data and remain quiet about the event. This case underscores the value of two-factor authentication for mobile access to development resources and the danger of storing sensitive access keys in locations that are likely to be discovered with one compromised account.

Mobile device management vulnerability at Equifax

Equifax is one of the biggest data breaches in history that occurred in 2017 when Equifax had to inform more than 147 million people that their personal data had been compromised. The first line of attack was a vulnerability in a web application, but the investigation revealed that the ability of the attacker to remain on the network and extract data was partly due to the poor security in Equifax’s mobile devices. There were many unpatched vulnerabilities in the company MDM system, which enabled the hackers to persist for months after the initial entry point discovery. Once in the network, they were able to go from system to system because mobile devices had too much privilege and access.

How SentinelOne Can Help with Enterprise Mobility Security

SentinelOne provides a broad spectrum of active protection of mobile endpoints through its advanced security platform. This combines automated response with AI-enabled threat detection to provide protection against known and unknown threats that target mobile devices. With a single-agent solution, SentinelOne simplifies deployment and management across various mobile environments while providing end-to-end visibility into security events across all endpoints.

Behavioral AI technology undergirds the platform to identify suspicious activity on mobile devices even without signature methods. This enables SentinelOne to detect and prevent attacks that slip through regular security tools. The system may isolate affected devices to prevent lateral movement, but it also provides security teams with context about the threat so they can investigate and remediate it.

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Conclusion

With the shift of corporate work behavior from on-site to remote, along with the upsurging mobile technology, enterprise mobility security has become crucial. Data protection on a heterogeneous device landscape requires a multi-faceted strategy encompassing device management, threat protection, high-assurance authentication, and user awareness. These security measures allow organizations to facilitate productive mobile work and mitigate the risk of data breaches and compliance violations.

These challenges are not small, but with planning and the right security tools, it is possible to create a secure mobile environment for companies. This solution represents a high-impact resource for organizations that need to improve their mobile security stance. SentinelOne protects your highest-value targets across every endpoint with smart threat detection and automated response capabilities.