Staying secure with mobile device management

Keeping track of digital assets, and what they’re being used for, is a significant challenge for many businesses. When a mobile workforce is equipped with smartphones, tablets or laptops, it can be months, or even years, before the devices ever find their way back to a main office.

This was the challenge facing fibre optic specialists KMCO, with a nationwide team of engineers almost always on the road installing and maintaining broadband connections. They needed a mobile solution that allowed engineers to stay in touch and log their tasks.

Initially, KMCO opted for low-cost tablets that meant they were effectively disposable. But this didn’t solve a number of other issues, such as how to keep the devices up-to-date when on the road, or how to ensure they were kept secure.

Proactive protection of the company network

IT Support 365 introduced KMCO to mobile device management applications that could secure a tablet both externally and internally.

External security can prevent misuse should the tablet fall into the wrong hands. Anyone with access to the tablet could have a route into the company network, if the device isn’t secured correctly.

Internal security helps to protect the device from malware and other attacks by cybercriminals, such as phishing emails. Just one wrong click by the user could open the way for a criminal to install ransomware on the company network, which is currently a common form of cybercrime committed against businesses of all sizes.

Persuaded of the value of a mobile device management solution, KMCO equipped all its engineers with a new, better performing tablet that could be monitored and kept up-to-date remotely.

How mobile device management protects KMCO

Here are just some of the ways that mobile device management is helping KMCO.

It benefits the engineers because they:

• Can stay in touch and update their records remotely.
• Have access to a more robust, better quality tablet.
• Don’t need to bother with applying updates or installing apps.

It benefits the IT department because:

• Operating system updates can be managed centrally and deployed remotely.
• Only approved apps can be installed on the tablets.
• If an engineer leaves the team, the tablet can be wiped and reconfigured for a new team member without being returned to the IT team.
• All tablet activity, and thereby the company network, is protected by a world-class threat management system.

It benefits the finance team because:

• The locations of the digital assets are known at all times, through GPS tracking.
• Costs are kept down, with devices switching to secure wifi whenever available.
• If a tablet is lost or stolen, it can be wiped remotely, making it useless.

KMCO has been using mobile device management from IT Support 365 for two years.

Martin D’Costa from KMCO said: “Security was a real concern before we adopted the IT Support 365 mobile solution. We now have confidence that we are in control of our assets, wherever they might be, and we’re also in control of who has access to our IT networks and data.”

James Bull of IT Support 365 said: “A growing number of companies are equipping their workforce with mobile digital devices that are fundamentally insecure. KMCO identified this risk early and has moved quickly to implement a robust and proven system.”