Any modern company that wants to be successful must be agile and quick to respond to customer’s needs. The mobile era of business is already here, and companies are constantly under pressure from executives, lines of business (LOBs) such as sales and marketing, and business partners to provide access to enterprise data and applications on the go. As enterprises explore the use of mobile applications for employees, partners and customers, new processes have to be built to secure these applications against compromise.

Understanding the Mobile Landscape

Let’s take a look at the current mobile landscape to understand what companies have to deal with today. The mobile space has multiple operating systems such as iOS, Android and Windows. The hardware configuration of mobile devices is varied, too, ranging from basic devices to high-end handheld computers. Internet access and speed on mobile has also spiked, which has resulted in a lot of data being consumed and created through mobile devices. The faster Internet speeds have also spawned mobile application development across all platforms.

All of this makes it much easier for users to take advantage of their devices. And they are: More than half of Google searches now come from mobile.

Companies are spending billions of dollars to tap this space with advanced mobile analytics and targeted advertising, but the cost of marketing on these mobile platforms has increased. The primary reason is the large user base that can be reached through them. For example, Android is now used by 1.4 billion people, which is nearly 20 percent of the world’s population. And that’s just one example of a mobile platform.

Securing All Data

Given this reality, the mobile space is becoming a prime target for cybercriminals. We have heard of many cases where breaches completed via mobile devices have resulted in major losses for enterprises. While mobile companies are working to improve security on platforms, such as iOS 9 introducing six-digit passcodes and Android Marshmallow’s Android for Work, these features — along with capabilities such as biometric authentication — make a strong case for securing the device and applications. But a question from an enterprise’s standpoint remains: Is this enough?

To have a comprehensive mobile security strategy, companies need to look beyond merely securing the device and applications. They need to create an environment that addresses all dimensions required to protect enterprise IPs on the mobile platform.

To learn how to survive the mobile phenomenon by reducing risk, all while deploying mobile access to the enterprise, visit our session at Insight 2015 on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 4 p.m.