Mobility May Impede Security Compliance

A recent study by the Business Performance Management (BPM) Forum found that U.S. companies face increased security and compliance risks from executives using mobile devices, an article on Image and Data Manager online reports.

With the increasing use of mobile devices worldwide, the study results showed that workplaces worldwide are becoming increasingly exposed to regulatory compliance violations and security threats with the devices’ integration into company networks.

The article also states that research found many companies have too few policies in place to protect the data on mobile devices, and even fewer have the ability to enforce these policies.

BPM also cited a recent IDC report in its study, which projected the number of global mobile employees would grow beyond 878 million by 2009. IDC’s report, “Comply on the Fly: Keeping Pace with the Management Challenges of Mobile Data Management,” explores whether businesses are implementing initiatives to provide internal controls and address data security risks from mobile device use.

The IDC report contained the following information:

• Nearly half of all respondents report that a minimum of 25 percent of all mobile devices in their organization carry mission-critical applications and information.
• Forty percent of respondents have no measures at all to manage mobile data tracking, backup and archiving for regulatory compliance purposes.
• Smaller companies ($100 million in revenue and under) face a greater risk of violations, with just 32.4 percent implementing formal mobile compliance policies.
• There is disconnect between IT executives who recognize mobile device compliance and security risks, and C-level executives who see benefits, not risks.

Compiled by Paul Kerstein, CSOonline.com

Related Links:

• How To Protect Your Mobile Data

• Managing and Securing Mobile Devices

Keep checking in at our Security Feed for updated news coverage.