10 minute read
30/06/2023
Learn more about Samsung Galaxy Enterprise Edition keeps your business mobile devices secure, wherever you work from.
A successful hybrid working model relies on a robust enterprise business mobile security strategy to prevent security breaches while promoting greater collaboration and productivity and allowing employees to enjoy a better work-life balance.
Hybrid and remote working may have accelerated during the Covid19 pandemic, but the culture shift started years earlier, driven by employers and workers seeking improved levels of productivity, efficiency gains, better collaboration and a work-life balance that attracts and retains top talent.
The foundation of hybrid working is a strong enterprise business mobile security strategy. Without that, security breaches are inevitable.
Organisations are therefore developing innovative approaches to mobile technology, with a focus on devices designed for remote working, with enterprise-level security, that are easy to set up and support.
Choosing the right enterprise-ready smartphone and a network supplier that can help ensure mobile devices are secure is fundamental to success, and will provide a high return on investment, a satisfied workforce and a competitive edge in a challenging global economy.
Organisations are inevitably embracing hybrid working, but the strategy should be adapted to what best fits the business, with enterprise business mobile security at its heart.
“It is not a binary choice between office and home. Companies need to allow for flexibility and facilitate all styles of fluid working,” explains Joe Walsh, director of B2B at Samsung Electronics.
The starting point to make this “fluidity” a reality is empowering teams through a digital spine with the right technology, including video calls, collaboration tools and connectivity.
“Fluid working heightens the need for a robust mobility platform,” says Walsh.
New ways of working necessitate a change in thinking. With two-thirds of professionals and 80% of IT teams working from home – according to a report in the Financial Times – the relationship between employer and employee has to evolve.
The business must develop an enterprise business mobile security strategy that matches business need and is sustainable for the organisation and workers alike.
“It is a constant focus, but it is important to establish how the device will be used and what business tasks will be carried out. The business case is about improvement, optimisation and productivity,” says Walsh.
The zero-trust approach is similar to a VIP close protection bodyguard unit. You’re constantly making an assessment of whether an individual has access to a system or data.
Andy Deacon, senior manager, cyber security, Vodafone Business
Data breaches are escalating as cyber criminals increasingly target remote workers via their devices. IBM/Ponemon Institute’s 2022 Cost of a data breach report suggests the average cost to a business of a data breach is £3.93m, and victims took on average 237 days to identify a ransomware breach and a further 89 days to contain it.
Added to the cost and potential fines is the reputational damage of a breach, with the risk of loss of trust and lost business as partners, customers and individuals become increasingly aware of data leaks.
“People are certainly thinking about who has access to their data, what companies are using it, is it safe and can I trust this business. Security is super important for companies facilitating fluid working,” says Walsh.
As a result, mobile security has shot up the corporate agenda. Many organisations are adopting a zero-trust security approach as an enabler of a successful fluid working strategy.
“The hybrid working movement has been accelerated by Covid-19 and forced organisations to make that change, so a lot of organisations are catching up on security reviews and policies. Fluid working is forcing organisations to adopt a zero-trust security approach,” says Andy Deacon, senior manager for cyber security at Vodafone Business.
Without a zero-trust approach, he warns, breaches risk employers forcing staff back to the office in the mistaken belief they have greater control over security through a traditional “moat-and-keep approach” to data, where the crown jewels are kept behind the corporate castle’s defences.
However, once the enemy has breached those defences, it has access to all the treasure in the tower.
“The zero-trust approach is similar to a VIP close protection bodyguard unit. You’re constantly making an assessment of whether an individual has access to a system or data,” says Deacon.
Zero-trust is dynamic and intelligent: just because someone has access to data doesn’t mean they will automatically get access to it again – even for employees. Access depends on factors such as the individual’s geolocation and their device.
“Mobile phones, tablets and laptops are typically the entry point into zero-trust for most organisations because that’s the first set of devices that people use to access data. You need a good level of security on those devices because they’re the gatekeeper to the organisation and its data,” says Deacon.
“As organisations transition from moat-and-keep to a zero-trust approach, we are going to see a lot of these knee-jerk reactions unless they fully embrace the zero-trust approach and methodology to enable fluid working.”
Safeguards for data need to be put in place with new monitoring systems and an evolution in how organisations approach security.
Internet of things (IoT) devices need to be incorporated into any enterprise business mobile security strategy, and individual privacy concerns must be addressed alongside security at an organisational level.
Decisions need to be made over putting in dedicated communications lines, or relying solely on 4G/5G and encryption.
“There’s a whole realm of things to consider, but it’s all about business having the right mindset and risk appetites to make the organisation more secure and tighten up data security and monitoring policies,” says Deacon.
An added benefit comes from improved compliance procedures, reducing time and money spent on ensuring data is collected, stored and accessed securely.
“If you get GDPR or information security requests, you know where the data is and it’s easier to delete and remove. A lot of organisations currently struggle with this, but as part of hybrid working, you’ve got to understand where the data is and what format it is in,” explains Deacon.
Most people expect the option of remote working as a minimum; they don’t expect to be in the office five days a week and they want the latest devices, not archaic kit.
Joe Walsh, director of B2B, Samsung Electronics
Employees must be matched with a device that meets their needs.
Examples include whether the employee is in field work, retail or construction; whether devices require barcode scanners or payment solutions; if they need to have larger screens to edit documents on the go; or are required for remote collaboration.
Walsh says that once the business knows these factors, it can consider budget, long-term value, and return on investment (ROI).
Suitability for remote working, connectivity and software requirements need to be built into the business case, but the consistent strand is security.
“Security has got to run through from the device to the connectivity to the software,” says Walsh.
Deacon says the key outcomes are cost savings and business improvement by giving people the right tools for the right job. Having employees work from home, for example, will save costs associated with office space, such as rent, gas and electricity.
“It depends on the nature of the business. For a manufacturer it might not apply, but for professional roles, this is where mobile devices come in and it promotes attraction of talent.”
"Most people expect the option of remote working as a minimum; they don’t expect to be in the office five days a week and they want the latest devices, not archaic kit,” says Walsh.
Many solutions will promise features such as ease of setup, support and long-term value, but these can be delivered only if the organisation understands what every individual needs to access and their risk profile.
“You want to enable certain minimum features and be able to enforce those features, such as devices with dual personas – a work and personal persona – encryption and remote wipe to build a baseline of security,” says Deacon.
With the right software and tooling, the IT team can manage support, settings and security, but an important factor is staff training to ensure security requirements are fully understood.
“Staff need to understand why a PIN code is necessary, for example. The best way to do that is to talk about personal data security. If you relate security to personal data security, it resonates more,” says Deacon.
Samsung Galaxy Enterprise Edition has been designed specifically to address the security challenges for enterprises and to enable a good user experience.
“We have spent a long time looking at this space globally. Samsung Galaxy Enterprise Edition is a complete package of mobile technology and services aligned to give the business more choice, more control and crucially, more protection,” says Walsh.
With a range of tablets and smartphones available, Galaxy Enterprise Edition allows an organisation to match devices with workers’ needs and their budget. At its core is Knox Suite, which provides a complete set of tools to secure, deploy and manage the enterprise’s mobile devices.
“What Enterprise Edition gives businesses over and above the consumer variation of devices is control and security of devices across the estate. Knox Suite ensures that a fleet of enterprise devices are ready right out of the box. They’re automatically enrolled, managed and secured with a defence-grade security platform,” says Walsh.
Most UK police forces use Galaxy Enterprise Edition – so organisations know they can rely on state-of-the-art mobile security.
“Businesses are protected from mobile security threats with up to five years of firmware updates, either monthly or quarterly 1. They can be sure mobile devices are up to date with the latest Android and Samsung security and maintenance, protecting the fleet against malware, phishing or software malfunction,” says Walsh.
Additionally, Enterprise Edition comes with a three-year enhanced service support with Samsung offering next-day replacement 2 so mobile employees can continue working with minimum disruption and maximum security.
Deacon highlights how hybrid working is the key to unlocking cost savings. For example, organisations can choose not to refresh Wi-Fi infrastructure in an office space if all employees have devices with 5G connectivity that are in line with security policies.
“Investment in enterprise mobile and hybrid working unlocks productivity gains. It allows organisations to be more creative in how they provide services and improve customer and employee experience,” he says.
“The nine-to-five routine has had its day. Working patterns and styles are very much different today. Realising that productivity gains are only possible by giving people the right tools and tech is critical in the charge to retain the best talent.”
The nine-to-five routine has had its day. Working patterns and styles are very much different today. Investment in enterprise mobile and hybrid working unlocks productivity gains. It allows organisations to be more creative in how they provide services and improve customer and employee experience.
Andy Deacon, senior manager, cyber security, Vodafone Business
