Mobile devices have become increasingly common in the workplace in recent years. Businesses and their workforces use mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops for various tasks. And as remote work is now more commonly used nowadays, mobile devices have become vital productivity and efficiency tools for most companies. However, because workplace mobile devices have access to sensitive business data, they can pose a security risk if they are hacked, stolen, or lost. As a result, the significance of managing mobile devices has grown. As a result, IT and security leaders are responsible for provisioning, managing, and securing mobile devices in their organizations.
Mobile Device Management (MDM):
Mobile Device Management (MDM) is the method involved with strengthening corporate information security by observing, managing, and shielding mobile devices used in organizations like PCs, cell phones, and tablets. IT teams and administrators can use mobile device management solutions to control and disseminate security policies to mobile devices that access critical corporate data in their enterprises, maintaining the corporate network’s security.
With an increasing number of employees utilizing one or more of these devices, businesses of all sorts are turning to mobile device management to increase data and network security and employee productivity. MDM solutions allow IT administrators to set up enterprise-grade security controls on mobile devices, allowing them to be used in the workplace.
How does it work?
Client-server architecture is used in Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions, with the devices functioning as clients. At the same time, the MDM server delivers configurations, apps, and policies to the devices over-the-air (OTA). In most cases, an MDM server or platform helps IT administrators track mobile devices. In addition, the MDM server allows IT administrators to control mobile endpoints such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones from afar. Finally, mobile device management uses various notification systems to contact the managed devices.
MDM features:
Mobile operating system developers and device manufacturers regulate what MDM software can and cannot perform on their devices through their APIs. As a result, mobile device management has become a commodity, with most providers providing a similar set of essential functions. In addition, the integration of mobile device management servers with other enterprise software distinguishes MDM vendors.
Device inventory and tracking are standard mobile device management capabilities, such as app distribution and an enterprise app store, password enforcement, remote wipe, app safelists, delisting, and data encryption enforcement.
MDM tools:
Device tracking:
GPS tracking and other programs can be configured on each device enrolled with or issued by a company. The programs enable IT workers to monitor, update, and debug a device in real-time. They can also identify and report high-risk or non-compliant devices and remotely lock or wipe a device if lost or stolen.
Mobile management:
IT departments buy, install, administer, and support mobile devices for their employees and troubleshoot device issues. They ensure that each device has the operating systems and apps their users require, such as productivity, security, data protection, and backup and restoration software.
Application security:
App wrapping, in which an IT administrator provides security or management elements to an application, is one method of application security. The application is then re-deployed as a containerized program. These security features can determine whether a user must authenticate before opening an app, whether data from the app can be copied, pasted, or saved on the device, and whether a file can be shared.
Identity and access management (IAM):
Strong identification and access control are required for secure mobile management (IAM). IAM enables a company to manage users’ identities associated with a device. They can employ features like single sign-on (SSO), multifactor authentication, and role-based access to control user access within an organization.
Endpoint security:
All devices that contact a business network, including wearables, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and non-traditional mobile devices, are covered by endpoint security. Endpoint security can comprise antivirus software, network access control, incident response, URL filtering, and cloud security, among other things.