Keeping Tabs on SECURITY
USE THESE BEST PRACTICES TO STEP UP
10
BY LISA PHIFER A
DOPTION of tablet devices by business users has been astonishingly quick, taking some IT departments by surprise and [making them
wonder] what to do about tablet security and support. To some extent, tablets can be treated like smartphones with the same mobile operating systems. But tablets are not just big flat smartphones—they tend to be used differently and thus pose some unique challenges of their own. Here we’ll discuss how to mitigate those risks.
Good Enough for Smartphones =
Good Enough for Tablets Companies that rely on corporate-standard phones
to ensure security will have more trouble embracing tablets. Employers may procure tablets for specific use cases, but this alone will not address all tablet demands. Instead, IT must facilitate safe business use of many different employee-owned tablets. Companies that are already securing employee-liable smartphones can start by applying smartphone mobile device security policies and practices to tablet security. The most important of these include: J Device lock: If a tablet is lost or stolen, enabling
native device authentication (PIN, password, pattern) can reduce risk of application, data, or connection misuse. All contemporary tablets support this practice, although strength and enforcement vary. J Anti-theft measures: Many tablets support remote lock or data wipe to stop missing tablets from being
misused—including those owned by former employees. While such measures are readily available for tablets, policies must be defined. For example, workers may be asked to consent to remote wipe and back up their own personal data. Employer use of tablet “find me” services can also raise privacy concerns. J Over-the-air encryption: All contemporary tablets
can secure Web and email with SSL/TLS, Wi-Fi with WPA2, and corporate data with mobile VPN clients. The primary challenge here for employers is proper configuration and enforcement, as well as protecting credentials and configs to prevent reuse on unauthorized devices. J Stored data protection: Hardware and mobile OS support for stored data encryption varies. However, self- protecting apps are readily available for tablets, such as email apps that store messages, contacts, and calendars inside encrypted containers. Some employers find self- protecting apps preferable, because they insulate business data from personal data, making it easier to wipe the former without the latter. J Mobile application controls: Contemporary
mobile operating systems employ code signing, data caging, and feature restrictions to deter malware. Nonetheless, many downloaded apps require access to sensitive data and features, and employers may have little or no control over app installation. Centrally enforced restrictions and blacklists are still emerging for tablets; consider this more of a stretch goal than best practice today.
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