Mobile Device Management

Confidential data exposure

As mobile devices synchronize with an organization's email and other cloud-connected apps, they download organization and confidential information. Losing a device or having it stolen can expose this information.

Security Feature: A remote wipe policy

Ethical Hacker Check: Check that this policy completely removes data from the mobile device.

Security Feature: A policy to lock the device

Ethical Hacker Check: Make sure this lockout prevents unauthorized device access.

Bring-Your-Own-Device

The policy that allows employees to use their own computers and mobile devices for work purposes is called the bring-your-own-device policy (BYOD) policy. A BYOD policy encourages company employees not only to work on the device they choose, but the device they own for personal use.

Mixing personal and corporate data

This is both a security issue for an organization and privacy issues for users.

Cisco Meraki

Cisco Meraki is a suite of products. One of these products is Endpoint Management. Endpoint Management is not strictly MDM software, since it also manages traditional desktops and other devices. However, it does have a focus on mobile devices and BYOD policies. Policies can be customized for user groups, require passcodes on devices, limit jailbroken devices to a guest network, provision software, and automatically revoke privileges if a device violates security policies.

Citrix Endpoint Management

Citrix Endpoint Management (formerly XenMobile) is also a unified endpoint management system that includes MDM as a primary feature. Along with tradition MDM features including BYOD, it also provides mobile app management and secures internally developed apps.

Lower costs

Companies may help users with the cost of a mobile device or offer more compensation to cover the purchase. But generally, the employee purchases the device and any data or telecom services.

Number of different devices

Different devices have different levels of built-in security. This creates a challenge for the IT department and may even deter them from offering BYOD.

Security Feature: Alerts and monitoring

Ethical Hacker Check: Create a violation on the mobile device and check that an alert is sent. Then check that the resource monitoring data is sent by examining the server-side reports.

Security Feature: Policies and inventory

Ethical Hacker Check: Create other policies and ensure they are enforced by the MDM agent as they are received. Also, check the inventory data collected by the agent.

Security Feature: Root or jailbreak detection

Ethical Hacker Check: Root or jailbreak a mobile device and then check that the MDM inventory shows this vulnerability.

Security Feature: A policy to require the use of a passcode to access the device

Ethical Hacker Check: Set this policy and check that the device requires a password.

Mobile Device Management

~The term Mobile Device Management (MDM) generally describes the policies and procedures used by an organization to maintain security and permissions on mobile devices. More specifically, MDM software is used by administrators to secure mobile devices and to enforce enterprise policies on the devices. MDM software usually offers a suite of features, including policy management, security management, inventory management, telecom service management, and mobile application management. ~MDM software can mitigate bring your own device (BYOD) risks while taking advantage of the benefits. MDM software is typically deployed as a combination of an on-device application or agent that communicates with a backend server. The application receives policies and settings from the server to configure and control the mobile device.

BYOD Benefit

~Increased productivity ~Employee satisfaction ~Work flexibility ~Lower costs

IBM's MaaS360

IBM's MaaS360 gives visibility and control over multiple mobile operating systems including iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows. This MDM is a good choice if you need to support legacy mobile systems. There is no hardware to install, and the user enrolls from the device. It also includes protection against malware and malicious websites.

Improper disposal

Improperly disposing a device can leave old information, even financial data and credit-card details, vulnerable to being used for malicious purposes.

Increased productivity

Personal devices are always available to the user. The user becomes an expert in its use. Also, personal devices are more likely to be upgraded to keep up with the latest productivity technologies.

Bypassing security policies

Security rules that are enforced only by a policy, and not by any automated means, can be overlooked or even maliciously exploited by disgruntled employees.

Data leakage

While away from the office, a user might access company data via a public network. If these connections are not encrypted, it can lead to data leakage.

MDM security features that, as an ethical hacker, you will want to check:

~A policy to require the use of a passcode to access the device ~A policy to lock the device ~A remote wipe policy ~Root or jailbreak detection ~Policies and inventory ~Alerts and monitoring

BYOD Risk

~Data leakage ~Confidential data exposure ~Improper disposal ~Number of different devices ~Mixing personal and corporate data ~Bypassing security policies

MDMs

~IBM's MaaS360 ~Cisco Meraki ~Citrix Endpoint Management

Work flexibility

A single device that meets both professional and personal needs can be carried anywhere in the world. The user can do work at any location; they're not tied to the office. This mobility drives technology changes from a traditional client-server model to a cloud-centric strategy.

Employee satisfaction

Since the user purchases the mobile device, they choose the one that best fits their preferences and budget. In addition, they're probably happy that they don't have to carry around two devices, one for work, and one for personal activities.