Small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are an increasingly popular target for cybercriminals. Small business owners are taking note; 60% of small business owners report that cybersecurity threats are a top concern. As a result, mobile device management (MDM) for small businesses has risen on the priority list across organizations.
If your organization is looking to embrace flexible working practices and boost user productivity without compromising on security, you may want to consider small business mobile device management.
Mobile threats to SMBs
Mobile devices are an essential part of work today. Workers can edit documents and reply to emails, take customer orders, check product inventory and much more—all while on the move. However, these mobile devices are also a target for cyberattacks because they provide valuable access to corporate networks and cloud-based resources. According to figures cited in the Verizon 2024 Mobile Security Index, 62% of corporate network authentications come from mobile and non-traditional operating systems.1
The 2024 Mobile Security Index highlighted the concern: For business users and consumers, 2023 was a record-breaking year for mobile threats. More zero-day vulnerabilities were discovered in iOS than ever before. The risky data collection policies used by popular apps such as TikTok and PinDuoDuo were on public display, while 75% of organizations experienced mobile phishing attempts targeting their employees.2 Some 85% of organizations believe mobile device threats have increased over the past year, and 64% believe they are at "significant or extreme" risk from these threats.3 Threats to small business mobile devices include:
- Social engineering (phishing/smishing/vishing): Distracted mobile users may be more likely to fall for a phishing scam on their mobile device than on their computer. In 2023, a third (33%) of mobile phishing attacks against technology company employees were successful, and 27% of such attacks against the financial sector succeeded.4
- Unsecure Wi-Fi: Remote workers may access documents or messages on their devices in any number of places—from cafes to co-working spaces. Threat actors see such environments as a great opportunity for man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks and a chance to create fake hotspots. 37% of employees in organizations that ban—or don't have a policy on—the use of public Wi-Fi use it anyway.5
- Malicious apps: Malware hidden in legitimate-looking apps is an ever-present danger—particularly if you don't manage what and where your employees can access and download. Unofficial app stores are always best avoided. Over half (51%) of organizations have experienced mobile app-related incidents from factors such as malware or unpatched vulnerabilities.6
- Malware: Malicious phishing links, messages and apps could lead to information-stealing Trojans, premium service fraud, adware, commercial spyware, ransomware and much more. In the case of spyware, malware can sometimes be installed with zero user interaction.
- Loss or theft: One problem with small business mobile devices is that they can go missing. That's bad news for corporate security, and worse news if they're not locked. According to the Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, 2023 saw an increase in the number of data breach cases stemming from lost or stolen devices.7
Mobile device management (MDM) for small business solutions
The challenge for smaller businesses is that many can't afford to buy each of their employees a device—leaving them with no option other than to allow employees to use personal devices for work. Moreover, businesses that support BYOD (bring your own device) may better position themselves to become an employer of choice. When companies first explore BYOD, the emphasis is usually on cost savings associated with dedicated mobile devices such as smartphones. MDM solutions for personal devices can help SMBs by supporting non-invasive BYOD policies to support employee productivity and maintain corporate data security by keeping work data secured and separate from personal data. For corporate-owned devices, MDM solutions give IT admins an even greater level of control over the security and functions of the device.
Mobile device management for small businesses can offer:
- Monitoring of devices to track performance, usage, compliance status and more, as well as enable rapid troubleshooting and remediation if any issues are spotted.
- Configuration management can enable remote settings configuration to ensure devices comply with your policies and manage operating system updates more easily to ensure devices stay up to date with the latest OS versions.
- Mobile device security, which includes remote enforcement of strong encryption, malware protection, device tracking and remote wiping.
- Identity and access management (IAM) to ensure only authorized users access specific devices and data according to their role and permissions.
- Remote enrollment and maintenance, including automated device enrollment and streamlined device management via remote diagnostics and updates.
- Centralized application management to ensure the right people have access to the right apps, risky apps are banned and software is always kept up to date.
- Support and reporting, including detailed analytics and reports, to demonstrate compliance and improve device optimization, plus technical support for any issues.
The benefits of MDM for small business
Mobile device management for small businesses is about more than just mitigating security risk. Using the power of the cloud and AI-based insights and analytics, these tools can deliver granular control and oversight of all devices, the data flowing through these devices and access points used by employees. With mobile device management in hand, your organization can enhance the following:
- Security and compliance: Small business mobile device management helps ensure that devices are always compliant with company policy (prompt patching, encryption, multifactor authentication). You can also help to deliver and demonstrate compliance with industry regulations and standards in the same way. When coupled with a Mobile Threat Defense (MTD) solution, devices can be protected against Wi-Fi, phishing and malware attacks.
- IT management: MDM can automate and centralize the management of multiple devices, enabling alerts to troubleshoot issues proactively and detailed analytics to improve decision-making.
- User productivity: Mobile device management can fix problems remotely before users even notice, handle tasks like software updates that might otherwise burden employees and continually optimize device management thanks to detailed analytics.
- Cost efficiency: Centralized mobile device management can optimize device usage and reduce the likelihood of a costly data/security breach.
Solution options: There are several MDM and MTD solutions available to Verizon customers to fit any business need. For MDM Verizon MDM and Samsung Knox are available. IBM MaaS360, Ivanti, and Jamf offer MDM and MTD solutions. Additionally, the Business Mobile Secure Plus bundle includes both MDM and MTD.
Find out how Verizon's mobile device management for small business solutions can support your business.
The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.