With the technology of business running faster and faster, and becoming more and more mobile, with laptops, flash drives, and now tablet computers and even cell phones; that are more powerful than the first computers I worked on 15 years ago. The problem many businesses run into is that their IT policies do not keep up with their technology devices or practices, and many people don't realize that mobile devices are as susceptible to attack and in many instances more so as they are mobile, and the largest targets now for unethical hackers, because why break into a building or steal equipment, when I can just wirelessly walk past you and and clone your phone and all it's content, or your ipad that more and more companies are keeping sensitive data through email, or files people are taking to work on at home. Or the hacker at the coffee shop, or your favorite wifi public hotspot that has security to protect the businesses, but claims no responsibility for anyone who chooses to use it.
By and large I find that few people realize or think about securing the ipad, or iphone and how many people buy into the fallacy and I get the dumbfounded look on their face and then they say "I thought Mac's couldn't get viruses, or be hacked?" or my personal favorite "It's a phone, not a computer?". To which I have to slap them in the face and reply "It's a computer, a very small computer, it stores data, and is electronic and has the ability to network, and are made by...wait for it....computer companies!. There are viruses and hacks a plenty. Unless you secure it, they will come.".
Another problem that people don't realize how much business sensitive data they carry with them, or by their employees, and as fewer businesses, especially small businesses provide a company phone, but let people use their own phone. Now they are at the mercy of an outside source, which many times is not included nor even thought of as a side note in IT procedures and policies, for securing them, only about a quarter of the cell phones and ipads I find even have an antivirus program on them, much less VPN, or any type of secure connection. If you would like a good antivirus for your phone, I would highly recommend "Lookout", available for all Apple and Android devices.
Needless to say even if unwittingly any business related information stored on employees device, will still fall under the compliance regulations and liability of the business, and therefore any fines or violations that may be associated.
Adding an antivirus is only the first step though, you also have to look, are your employees "Jailbreaking", or opening the iOS on their Apple products that leaves holes in SSH security and creates a larger playing field and removes all the safe guards Apple puts to give security to the Apple device, that many people don't realize are there, but will become the companies problem. Also setting up VPN for any accounts receiving from business emails that may contain any sensitive business data, including client files, budgetary items, or even a potentially damaging memo or joke. If it was received through a company email address, it is considered part of the business, and falls under the compliance thereof.
The newest thing in mobile technology is cloud services all of which vary in security and efficiency of use, but many of which automatically sync and store data like iCloud for most Apple products, and while mostly secure, it now puts your company information in a third parties hands that is not associated with your IT policies and procedures or behind any security barriers you may have. And the same with many other services like Dropbox, The Box or even secure ones like Mozy, most their privacy policies exclude them from compliance regulation, unless you pay for an enterprise or premium service where they include security compliance, but are often expensive and not commonly found on most people's phones that automatically back up to the cloud.
The opportunities and power of mobile computing and even the cloud are powerful tools that I highly encourage to be used and utilized, they create a way for businesses to flourish and thrive in a faster world of business climate. But they are also a new door for threats that must be recognized and are a common oversight I have noticed made, which could potentially damage the integrity and pocketbooks of any business, but especially small business.
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