2013-05-24T11:01:34-04:00 Andy Jacques http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=andy-jacques Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Andy Jacques Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1750582 2012-08-07T06:55:49-04:00 2012-10-07T05:12:03-04:00

Andy Jacques http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-jacques/
Many used to use these cloud storage services to access and sync documents, but with the proliferation of mobile devices and the innovation executed by these companies, users are now sharing every type of file between laptops, tablets and even on their smartphones.

However, as with every new technology, there are the good and bad sides.

Sharing data through these cloud services makes life easier for those who work from home or those who have to travel with business, keeping them productive and with access to all their necessary data wherever they are in the world.

But for corporations big and small, the security is an issue. As with any public cloud service, these files are stored in large multi-tenant data centres, but unlike signed contracts with established cloud providers, there are no SLAs and little information as to what security is put in place.

This, of course, puts fear into the IT department. Files containing data confidential to the business could be flying around over the internet with little knowledge of the company and, if those are leaked, all hell could be unleashed on those tasked with the responsibility of keeping data safe.

The traditional approach to this is just to ban the services. By implementing policies to stop employees using Dropbox, Box.net or Evernote, or even blocking the domains on work computers, it puts the security team's minds at rest and reassures them they have done all they can to keep the data away from these services.

This method no longer fits with the world we live in though.

Firstly, users will break the policy if it means better productivity for them and allowing them to get their job done. Also, as I have mentioned with the proliferation of mobile devices, it won't be hard for users to get round any policies put in place by using Dropbox or their iPad or smartphone.

It is bad enough when people are using these services and you know about it. If employees are doing it under the radar, you have even less control of your data, as the knowledge of where it is gives the IT department the power.

The point is that IT security professionals can no longer 'just say no' when it comes to such services. They have to find a way to embrace them as securely as possible, otherwise they risk being the ostrich with their head in the sand as all those around them continue to use the services, whatever the risk.

This doesn't mean IT teams should panic though. Dropbox have created a business version which can provide a lot more comfort to security professionals, whilst allowing employees to work in a familiar format.

What might bring even more reassurance, however, is a number of other firms, such as Box and Ascellion, which come from a security background and have a lot more enterprise level experience, are introducing their own versions, providing safe alternatives from trusted names, whilst also providing the same levels of usability and productivity employees have got used to with their consumer services.

The second set of offerings are likely to cost slightly more than the freebie consumer titles, but many still work with the pay per month per user cloud model of pricing and require little set up time or training.

Whether you chose an established security vendor or an internet cloud service, IT departments need to embrace this new way of working. Not only will it give you a more productive workforce, but it will take the risk away of ignoring this growing technology which, whether you like it or not, will be used by your employees at work and at home.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/theblog//3.1173207 2011-12-30T19:00:00-05:00 2012-02-29T05:12:01-05:00

Andy Jacques http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-jacques/
Think again.

Company-issued phones are becoming as much a relic of the past as the company car and the Nokia 6210.

A huge transformation is taking place across the mobility market. Shiny new smartphones and now tablets are replacing mobiles and laptops. Laden with apps from Angry Birds to Dropbox, the consumer's device of choice is increasingly also the foundation of their employer's mobility strategy.

Previously, IT managers used to control and manage every device connected to their network. Now they're faced with an invasion of personal mobile devices.

Surprisingly, however, many companies are actually encouraging workers to use their personal smartphones and tablets at work.

This trend was validated by a survey that was recently conducted by Good Technology. In it, we found that fully 70% of our customers were actively supporting what we call "Bring Your Own Device". Their logic seems simple enough: why 'double-down' on devices when workers are already packing an iPhone? They tell us it's cheaper, allows them to mobilise a bigger percentage of their staff and improves employee satisfaction.

A win-win perhaps. But it's not without risks.

First, device management becomes exponentially more complex. With company phones, IT managers were dealing with a known and controlled commodity - usually one brand of phone with one carrier on one platform. Easy enough...while it lasted.

Now, with the mobile space even more fragmented, with dozens of hardware brands (Samsung, Nokia, iPhone, Motorola, HTC, LG, BlackBerry), different software platforms (Windows, Android, Apple) and carrier services (insert one of dozens of brands here), IT managers are faced with a virtual telecom pick 'n mix. It goes without saying that this is a huge challenge in terms of mobile management, resources and cost.

Second, mobile security becomes more critical. Corporate-issued phones were in many ways the mobile version of the burly security guard standing in the reception lobby. Sure, they were inflexible, unyielding and intransigent, but nothing was getting in that wasn't supposed to. Today's smartphones are designed to promote productivity, agility and innovation, but in doing so are perceived by IT as much less secure than their predecessors.

It's interesting to note that the threat to security isn't necessarily coming from where you might think.

We've all read about the various hacker organisations out there practising their dark arts, and they do need to be taken seriously. However the bigger risk is much closer to home. It's from the well - intentioned user: Charles in Sales, Hannah in Accounting, or Chloe in Marketing with their smartphones and productivity apps. They all represent a much more prevalent threat to data loss. As soon as one of them moves this month's sales forecast to the cloud so they can download it to their iPad on the train home, your business-critical, company-confidential data is effectively in the public domain.

Enabling companies and employees to enjoy the benefits of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) whilst separating the business information from personal use is the latest challenge to face us as we increasingly become a knowledge worker economy. Get it right, and you're a hero. Get it wrong and you take the company down with you. If that happens, at least you'll have time to practice Angry Birds. ]]>