The bring your own device (BYOD) movement has produced a lot of discussion since its inception, and just looking at the field has a way of spawning more. But while businesses wonder if BYOD is the future, or merely another fad that will dry up and blow away, there are some who believe that in just a very short time, mobile computing may prove more secure than its desktop-based counterpart.
That’s a big assertion, but considering where it comes from—specifically, IBM’s vice president for strategy and product management Marc van Zadelhoff—it takes on a certain gravitas all its own. As for van Zadelhoff’s reasoning behind it, it’s certainly got some sound points to it; Zadelhoff first notes that existing trends in security and adware removal control, especially as related to mobile devices, are moving toward strengthened positions as opposed to weaker ones. Basically, companies are actively working toward making stronger, more secure networks better able to resist outside incursion than the alternative.
Many companies are finding that BYOD in general is a smart idea, one that offers a variety of useful features like improved flexibility and better ability to respond to issues outside of the office and outside of normal office hours. But with those useful traits comes a clear need for better security—a network that allows for remote access may well find unauthorized access in play as well—and that’s spurred companies to bite the bullet, so to speak, and trick out the security properly. As new technologies come online to improve security further and get integrated into current security structures, that only serves to further augment the security profile and make current, already strong security even better.
Improved location tools, the ability to engage in remote wiping, the ability to switch between business and personal profiles all add up to make a powerful combination that speaks strongly in favor of security on the BYOD concept. Not only is the network strengthened by the augmentations, the individual devices that comprise the network also get stronger against things like loss and theft, and such an approach provides multi-level security against incursions, making the whole process stronger as a result.
It’s easy to see van Zadelhoff’s point here. BYOD is proving to be a hard proposition to turn down, especially for businesses eager to be more agile and ready to take on problems regardless of when they happen, or where. With that added capability comes a greater responsibility in terms of security, one that companies are clearly rushing to meet. So with that, it may well be that, thanks to all the added focus on mobile security, mobile devices and BYOD may actually be more secure than more standard computing methods. It’s certainly not out of line to suggest that, and even if BYOD becomes only slightly less secure than the standard alternative, it will still prove well worth considering on several fronts.
