Best Practices for Securing your Mobile Device

The ubiquitous mobile phone is a convenient and essential part of your personal and business lives. But is it secure if it’s lost or stolen? Not likely.

Here’s another twist: Even if you’ve got the phone in your hand, it may not be safe. One in five organizations experience a mobile security breach without a device being lost, primarily the result of malware downloaded via very hackable public Wi-Fi connections. If you’re on a company phone and pull in ransomware, you could be endangering the future of your company. More than half of small companies hit by a significant cyberattack fold within six months. Some security firms report that public companies often suffer a significant drop in their stock price the day a breach is announced, and lose long-term customers.

The benefit of open systems on the job is undeniably huge. Mobile helps industries worldwide work smarter and faster by providing anywhere, anytime data access to employees. But mobile security threats are soaring, and everyone needs a security plan. That starts with two things: “education and awareness,” says Jonathan Wong, director of product marketing at Samsung. “Mitigating your exposure to risk is one of the most important things you can do.”