Mitigating the Growing Threat to Sensitive Data: 21st Century Mobile Devices

George R. Aldhizer, PhD, CIA, CFE, CITP, and John R. Bowles

The use of mobile devices to access internal network applications has skyrocketed over the past few years, due in large part to strategic competitive advantages such as enhanced employee productivity and customer satisfaction and retention. These mobile devices include smart phones and tablet PCs such as iPads, netbooks, and laptops (hereafter referred to as conventional mobile devices). Attacks against conventional mobile devices by malicious third parties and disgruntled employees—either current or recently terminated—have also increased. Meanwhile, manufacturers have focused more on acquiring new customers than on protecting their devices against attacks (Spencer E. Ante, “Dark Side Arises for Phone Apps,” Wall Street Journal, June 4, 2010).