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At the very heart of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) evolution is the ability to access enterprise networks from anywhere, anytime. The range of tools which enable this constant connectivity are becoming more powerful all the time, with laptops, tablets, smartphones and now emerging technologies such as Google Glass, allowing access to a range of communications and business applications, while cloud computing serves to effectively extend the office to anywhere in the world.
BYOD has grown significantly in the last couple of years and caused IT departments’ broad issues as to the best way to securely embrace it. The trend was accepted so quickly and so extensively that before organisations knew it, vast numbers of employees were using their own devices at work or for work purposes – without really thinking about how it would impact the network or the business as a whole.
However, while BYOD is still being addressed, ‘emerging technologies’ are now leaping on to the scene … with the likes of Google Glass and smart watches already on the market and more innovations just around the corner. Added to the concerns raised by BYOD, organisations understandably have a strong feeling of trepidation for what lies ahead.
To bring this into context, a recent Fortinet worldwide survey, which was conducted across 20 countries and surveyed 3,200 21-32 year old employees, found that 16 percent of respondents agreed that they would use wearable technologies in work or for work purposes as soon as they become available and 33 percent as soon as their price is affordable. Only 8 percent of the entire sample disagreed that these technologies will become widespread in the workspace. These findings suggest that organisations simply cannot ignore the impact that emerging technologies are going to have.
Obviously, as with any new technologies that come onto the market and quickly gain popularity, concerns regarding the security implications will never be far behind. For IT managers, the use of emerging technologies will highlight issues similar to those of mobile devices, the most important of which is accessing corporate data. Here, identity management will be a key component of a broader network security solution. Indeed, the use of emerging technologies poses a data confidentiality problem. Devices such as Google Glass, smart watches and smart wigs allow users to record whatever they can see through integrated cameras, leading to potential data protection breaches.
IT managers allowing these technologies to enter the workplace must also take into consideration wireless security. Currently, emerging technologies use either their own WiFi capability to connect to a network or Bluetooth to tether themselves to a tablet or smartphone to access the Internet via a 3G/4G network. There are several issues to consider; the first is using public, unsecured networks. As these devices become more widely deployed they will be a target for the cybercriminal community just like today’s mobile devices.
These devices have limited processing power and it is unlikely that security capabilities like anti-virus software will ever be available for them. As such, the security element will have to rest on the safeguards that organisations have in place for employees to adhere to. To ensure these are followed safely and efficiently, an education programme is required whereby the workforce are provided with guidelines around the dangers of carrying out sensitive tasks on public networks and the potential pitfalls of downloading public content. In the workplace, these devices will connect to the organisation’s WiFi network. Security must therfore be integrated into the very fabric of the network with a common set of rules and policies that determine the level of access a user is granted and regardless of how users connect to it – wired, wireless or remote access.
The security issues raised by emerging technologies could pose a real threat to businesses, particularly those dealing with sensitive information such as law firms, financial services organisations or government facilities. If a business is therefore going to allow the use of such technology for work purposes, it must develop a clear usage policy. This policy needs to state who is allowed to bring the technologies into the workplace, what parts of the network they are allowed to access and what security procedures and protocols they must adhere to.
It seems a certainty that many forms of these so-called emerging technologies will one day become as commonplace as smartphones and tablets. Google Glass, for example, is designed to enable the user to access the Internet, take videos and pictures all at a blink of an eye. It could be argued that these features will increase productivity, however it may be reasoned it could decrease, as it could be seen as a distraction for the user. If businesses are going to embrace wearable technology, then boundaries will be required.
The time for businesses to start thinking about the next step is now, as technology will continue to evolve whether they are on board or not. It needs to be understood that these new technologies won’t replace phones, tablets and laptops; they are additional, so having the right solution in place to secure the network is paramount.
But it isn’t all bad news for businesses. If they are prepared and are actively engaging with the challenges of emerging technology in terms of polices, security, network management and monitoring, and then they will already be at a huge advantage compared to most.
Contributed by Rajesh Maurya, Country Manager, SAARC, Fortinet
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