The Comprehensive Guide to Enterprise Mobile Security

Mobile devices are an indispensable part of our modern lives. While twenty years ago most people just used their phones to make phone calls, today they serve an ever-growing number of purposes. They still keep us connected, of course, but they also allow us to be more productive anywhere we go. That increase in accessibility is why enterprise mobile security is just as essential as the devices themselves.

Enterprise mobile security refers to the measures and strategies that organizations use to secure their mobile devices — and the applications and data that live on or pass through those devices — from threats. In this guide, we’ll outline the reasons why enterprise mobile security is essential, the key components that make it work, best practices to follow, and some common challenges to start preparing for now.

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Why enterprise mobile security is so critical

In decades past, a work phone was one small part of an organization’s information infrastructure. Now, using them for calls is almost an afterthought compared to the broader capabilities of modern mobile devices. With all the tasks they can perform across multiple business areas, it’s safe to say that mobile devices are an essential part of work for many modern organizations.

There’s a big drawback to all that convenience and power being centralized in one tiny machine. If just one is compromised, it can set off a chain of events that could harm your entire network. Therefore, enterprise mobile security must address the potential vulnerabilities of working on mobile devices without restricting their business functionality.

Mobile device use at work is on the rise

The Lookout Remote Work Report found that 92% of remote workers use their personal tablets or smartphones for work tasks. Meanwhile, a 2023 Pew Research study found that 41% of employees with jobs that can be done remotely work on a hybrid basis — which means many of them likely split their time between office machines and their own personal devices.

Increasing threats to mobile devices

Unfortunately, even as the use of mobile devices for work is increasing, most existing enterprise mobile security solutions fall short. Some of the common risks they leave unaddressed include:

• Operating system vulnerabilities
• App vulnerabilities
• Network threats
• Malicious apps
• Phishing

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Key components of enterprise mobile security

Mobile devices are susceptible to a unique range of threats. Therefore, the key components of enterprise mobile security encompass many different technologies, policies, and practices designed to protect mobile devices, apps, and data within an organization.

How do you know your enterprise mobile security is up to the task? Start by looking for these four key components:

Mobile device management (MDM)

Mobile device management (MDM) is many organizations’ go-to solution for managing corporate-owned devices. It establishes the baseline level of access and control necessary to keep the many different mobile devices employees may use communicating on the same networks and adhering to the same standards. Yet applying MDM does not actually mean those devices are secured. Rather, it means that the work of securing them is ready to begin.

Mobile threat defense (MTD)

Next comes mobile threat defense (MTD). These types of solutions provide real-time threat detection and prevention capabilities for mobile devices by checking system settings and surveilling for suspicious activity. While important for identifying and shutting down threats, enterprise mobile security that relies solely on MTD could still leave critical openings.

Mobile endpoint detection and response (EDR)

Endpoint detection and response (EDR) is a familiar concept across the field of cybersecurity. Yet many types of EDR were not created with mobile devices in mind. For instance, security techniques that increase power consumption or are not privacy-friendly could make an employee’s mobile device practically unusable. Organizations should look for mobile EDR solutions that provide visibility into security events across all potential attack surfaces while fitting in with their particular medium.

Identity and access management

The use of mobile devices across an organization also puts unique demands on identity and access management measures. For instance, there are many more places from which an employee (or malicious actor posing as an employee) could attempt to gain access. Requiring strong authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), to access corporate resources can help compensate. Effective enterprise mobile security should also apply role-based access control (RBAC) to restrict access to sensitive data based on user roles and permissions.

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Best practices for implementing enterprise mobile security

The following best practices can help you improve your organization’s approach to enterprise mobile security:

Develop a mobile security policy

A mobile security policy should outline acceptable use, list any specifically prohibited activities, and clearly lay out the consequences for policy violations. While crafting your enterprise mobile security policy, be sure to establish rules for using personal devices to access corporate data, including security requirements regarding who can connect to what and when.

Implement strong access controls

Your organization should require multiple forms of verification to access any sensitive data or apps. It should apply a zero-trust framework by following least privilege-controlled access. This gives each user precisely what they need to do their job while minimizing the potential for misuse if an account is compromised.

Conduct regular audits and monitoring

How do you know your enterprise mobile security is getting the job done? By performing regular audits to assess the effectiveness of security measures and identify potential weaknesses. Even if you can’t proactively deny every potential threat, using real-time monitoring tools will allow your organization to detect and respond to security incidents promptly.

Provide ongoing employee training and awareness

Good security is only possible if everyone — whether they’re in the IT department, human resources, accounting, or anywhere else — is working toward the same goal. Ensure everyone knows how to do their part in enhancing your enterprise mobile security by requiring education on mobile security best practices, phishing attacks, and the importance of strong passwords. Consider conducting regular phishing simulations and other tests to reinforce training and improve employee vigilance.

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Common challenges in enterprise mobile security

Now that you know what goes into building a plan for effective enterprise mobile security, you should also know some of the common issues you may encounter:

Managing BYOD policies

Bring your own device (BYOD) is standard policy for many organizations, yet there’s nothing standard about the many different types of devices employees may use to do their work. That’s why it’s essential to implement a BYOD policy that covers system updates, hardware requirements, and mandated apps, among other concerns.

Balancing privacy and security

Your organization will likely encounter some tension as it rethinks its enterprise mobile security practices. Users are often wary of putting security measures on their personal devices for fear that these measures may violate their privacy. But not using security controls leaves these devices — and the organizations connected to them — vulnerable. Each organization must reach its own point of equilibrium between privacy and security through frank assessment and open discussion.

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Assess your security with the Mobile EDR Playbook

Enterprise mobile security is critical to safeguarding sensitive business data in today's digital landscape. With the increasing use of mobile devices for work and the growing threats targeting these devices, implementing robust security measures is imperative.

To take an even deeper dive into one of the most important components of enterprise mobile security, and learn about practical steps you can take to improve it, check out the Lookout Mobile EDR Playbook: Key Questions for Protecting Your Data.