How to Win in the Enterprise Mobility Market
Last year we exhibited SeaCat at the Web Summit in Dublin. On the second day I explored the venue visiting different exhibition booths in the Mobile Enterprise area and talking to the people there. Many of which have already developed mobile applications and other mobile solutions for enterprises and big companies. While these conversations were interesting, one thing in particular stood out. Regardless of the size, industry, or platform of the prospective client, they all had one thing in common — security, or lack thereof.
Surprisingly, the summit attendees had varying backgrounds ranging from developers, startups, and corporations yet they all responded similarly when I asked about the underlying security of their mobile apps and the back-ends. Their position is that they “are as secure as the infrastructure at our customers,” an alarming approach when discussing mobile applications that are more sensitive to security breaches than desktop applications.
CRM or BI data is traditionally accessed from office desktops. In this traditional environment the data remains within the internal network and is safe from threats. However, once CRM or BI data is accessed from mobile devices, it is beyond the protection of the enterprise network because the data is exposed to the outside internet.
Therefore, if you are an enterprise mobility vendor, your customers probably have not solved this particular security issue and rely on you as the developer to anticipate and respond to these threats. There is a potential risk of losing the client deal if you cannot show that have you aware of these threats. Even if you do get the deal, sooner or later you will be requested to fix the security part. That is not an ideal position to be in especially if you do not know to even solve the problem.
All hope is not lost. The solution lies in becoming educating on new security issues and establishing a protocol for addressing the same. Here are a few features you can employ to cover most basic security concerns as it relates to mobile applications and back-ends:
- Backend isolation
- Access control
- Automated client certificate request/renewal
- Protection of private key on mobile device
- Mutual SSL authentication
The above-referenced summit scenario is common given the rapid growth of mobile adoption. At the beginning of the mobile era, user experience and (visible) functionality were the only things that mattered. Today, security is becoming more crucial as more data breaches occur in organizations big and small. Naturally, enterprises try to avoid this kind of publicity so they are seeking developers who are knowledgeable about current security trends and requirements.
If you are in the mobile enterprise market, take security seriously. Do not rely solely on the skills and knowledge of mobile app developers because their underlying focus is on building a beautiful, functional application. Instead, use the best practices available and offer your customers not just functionality but also security.
Send us an email at support@teskalabs.com to get a free consulting session on your mobile solution and learn if there will be any potential risk to your data.
Photo credit Web Summit
Most Recent Articles
- A beginner-friendly intro to the Correlator for effective cybersecurity detection
- Inotify in ASAB Library
- From State Machine to Stateless Microservice
- Entangled ways of product development in the area of cybersecurity #3 - LogMan.io
- Entangled ways of product development in the area of cybersecurity #2 - BitSwan
You Might Be Interested in Reading These Articles
Making Automated Mobility Safe
Autonomous vehicles are still working their way into the modern automotive marketplace. However, they are growing more common each year. Many agree, this is an innovative change, and it’s estimated that there will be more autonomous vehicles on the road in the coming years.
Published on July 15, 2019
Why You Need Security Audit for Your Point-of-Sale (POS) System
It’s clear that POS systems are a source of important and valuable data, and have the power to either speed up the progress or to stop the development of a company, depending on whether or not they are used. POS data is a business asset. Despite this vital importance, such an asset is not afforded the protection it deserves.
Published on March 07, 2017
Why Is Data Encryption Necessary even in Private Networks?
Securing data transferred between different endpoints is important not only through public networks but also in private networks. The data has to be protected if it is business critical or if modification or interception leads to a security incident with a high business impact.
Published on May 03, 2016