Feb 07, 2014

Mobile devices are becoming a regular part of business processes, and more employees are expecting to be able to access their resources from anywhere at any time. However, using this hardware to view sensitive documents could lead to potential breaches and compromise business assets. Organizations must have a secure mobile file sharing solution that provides protection for all files and deters unauthorized users from entering the system.

While most companies have created a policy that outlines mobile device usage and data viewing capabilities, some staff members continue to ignore the best practices needed to keep files safe. According to the 2013 Mobile Enterprise Risk Survey, employees do not feel responsible for their business’s information andbelieve there would be no penalty for a stolen or lost device. This shows a significant disconnect between workers and the threats that their data may face, especially in light of the mounting prices for breaches and recovery. When a personal device is used, the research found that the main concern revolved around preserving the owner’s contacts, rather than focusing on login details or work documents. Because of the general lack of knowledge about best practices, employees are leaving a substantial opening for threats to compromise data. Due to this fact, management must ensure that their file sharing solutions are secure and will allow safe viewing from any device.

Be wary of mobile apps
Many employees will use third-party applications for their file sharing needs, but this practice is risky and will jeopardize data security. Users will often enable permissions without fully understanding what they’re capable of, giving the program more capabilities than might have been intended, TechNewsWorld noted. Because the potential for accessing sensitive data is higher with mobile hardware in the workplace, organizations must take the appropriate steps to encrypt their files. While many employees may not think about the personal apps they use, business decision makers must define what software they can use and which online file sharing services are safe to utilize. Managers must also do research to ensure that the app developers are reputable in order to not choose a program with potential problems.

“Another good due diligence step is to check if the app developer follows testing and certification practices,” according to the source. “This is particularly important when an employer deploys mobile devices to a workforce.”