Connecticut's IT Managed Services Blog

Mobile computing is now an integral part of business and that’s not going to change. The ability to access email and business documents anywhere at any time is giving businesses a sharper competitive edge. At the same time, supporting a mobile workforce gives rise to added security risks. Handheld devices are not inherently secure, and enabling remote access to business intellectual property could put that IP at risk, especially if it’s retrieved over an unsecure wireless network. Companies have to weigh the benefits against the risks of provisioning a mobile workforce.

When a new mobile app goes viral you have a goldmine. Consider Pokemon Go. Nintendo more than doubled its stock price in a few weeks thanks to the popularity of the new game that superimposes Pokemon virtual reality on gamers’ reality. However, with new apps such as Pokemon Go there are unanticipated security risks as well.

Cybersecurity is complex and the risks from a security breach are underrated. Cyber criminals are at work around the clock, finding new ways to break into corporate networks to steal personal data, financial data, and intellectual property. As a result, CIOs are continually balancing the risks versus the returns of their cybersecurity investment. It seems impossible to stave off all types of security threats, so how much protection do they really want to pay for? It’s like buying insurance; how much coverage is enough and can you have too much?

How much time do your employees waste surfing the web? Workstations have become an essential tool in the workplace and while computers promote new levels of productivity, they also can be a source of endless distraction for employees. While workers need to use computers to enter data, generate reports, create invoices, and for a host of other functions, employees also use their workstations for online shopping, checking their personal email and looking at Facebook. With the benefits of internet access, there is also the downside of employees wasting company time online. Your challenge is to find the best way to police employee web access without undermining productivity.