In With ever-increasing business critical data flowing on a corporate network, Endpoint security has become extremely critical for IT managers to address issues of network protection. The influx of diverse computing and mobile devices has created the need to comply these devices with certain standards to ensure robust network protection before the network access is granted.
Organisations are looking for integrated Endpoint security suites that have the right mix of modern technologies such as, Mobile Device Management, Encryption and Systems Management, providing IT managers with powerful control tools through a centralized management console.
IT Managers Security Woes
In todays complex IT environment, organisations are caught between competing issues: rising business-critical data, managing a more complex environment and external risk.
The technology is frequently changing with ever-increasing data volumes, an alarming growth in malware, APTs and complexity. Hence, the challenge before IT managers: balancing resource, cost and security. IT managers and administrators have to wear multiple hats. They have to multi-task, stay on the learning curve, keep abreast of emerging technologies. This combination of changes in IT, coupled with changing work patterns and business demands, creates real tension in balancing resource, cost and security.
Altaf Halde, Managing Director (South Asia), Kaspersky Lab India says, In the morning, they could be resetting servers, by lunch theyre adjusting firewall rule sets and access control lists. In the afternoon, theyre walking through mobile device configuration settings so the CEOs new smartphone or tablet can receive email and access the network. And before close of business, theyre resolving network address translation conflicts on edge routers. All of this could be seen as just business-as-usual, but the challenge manifests when you map this activity against the raft of new technologies and requirements that simply didnt exist a few years ago.
Addressing the BYOD trend
Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) is a trend that no organisation, be it large, small or mid-size, can shy away from. With mobility and mobile devices taking centre stage in determining the computing devices employees use in a corporate environment, IT managers are looking for solutions that can secure the data that resides in smartphones and tablets. Most businesses have invested in security that protects all endpoints within their corporate network plus firewalls that prevent unauthorized external access to corporate systems. However, enabling access to business systems and data, from mobile devices means smartphones and tablets will effectively cross through thec protective firewall. It goes without saying that if such devices are infected with viruses or Trojans, it leads to security cvulnerabilities within the corporate network.
Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business solution claims to have addressed the rise of the BYOD trend in the work place. It can be deployed remotely via centralised Mobile Device Management (MDM). Strengthened data encryption can secure individual files,
folders, or even entire hard drives with Advanced Encryption Standard 256-bit encryption, which will ensure that data remains secure in the event of loss or theft. This encryption can also be used on peripheral devices and removable drives as well.
Halde says, If businesses are to benefit from the potential productivity gains offered by increased mobile accessand employees are able to enjoy the convenience of BYODsecurity and IT departments are faced with having to ensure their business is protected against all new mobile security threats.
Kaspersky offers protection across mobile platforms, be it Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows or even Symbian, but depending on the flexibility of each OS, Kaspersky mounts its solution. For an operating system like iOS, Kasperskys solution gets limited, as the source code is not shared. OS on open source like Android stands to avail all the features of the product whereas iPhone users can avail limited features, such as Remote wipe and anti-theft.
Altaf, without naming a customer, refers to a company in the manufacturing segment where there was a little skepticism about employees using their own devices as there was concern around the security mechanism of the devices.
By giving administrators greater visibility and control over mobile devices that access the corporate network; these solutions make it easier for businesses to benefit from rigorous, multilayer security and productivity-enhancing management capabilities.
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