IT Briefcase Exclusive Interview: Keeping Mobile Devices Safe and Secure with Wayne P. DeCesaris, Tangoe

There is no question that BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) has transformed the way people conduct business today.

In the below interview, Wayne DeCesaris from Tangoe Inc. outlines ways in which organizations can overcome the dangers that BYOD brings to the table, and offers expert advice as to how to keep your organization safe and secure.

• Q. What role do you see “bring your own device” (BYOD) playing in the overall mobile trend?

A. BYOD has been an industry game changer. Never before has IT been asked to allow personally owned mobile devices to access company data and the corporate network. Without control of these devices, companies are at risk of being exposed to malware, viruses and data breaches, and private data can easily fall into the wrong hands. As new mobile devices are released into the marketplace, enterprises are exposed to bugs which can be extremely detrimental. For example, a bug in the iPhone 5 and iOS6 calendar app caused all declined Outlook meeting invitations to cancel the entire meeting from everyone’s calendar. This may seem like an innocuous example, but it actually magnifies a major issue that the enterprise is at risk more than ever from external influences.  Just look at the news, with the prevalence of mobile wallets and the huge amount of personal and business information on mobile devices, hackers are now turning their effort on a new frontier focused on mobile smart devices.

• Q. How else is mobile impacting IT teams?

A. Mobile is now a tool of the trade and the question is no longer if you are going to adopt mobile, but how you’re adopting it and what your corporate mobile plan is. Mobile devices are pouring into enterprises and causing a logistical nightmare for IT. Think about it– your CEO is on the road and his iPhone goes down. IT is expected to get him back up and running in no time without having the device in front of them. IT used to only be responsible for the devices they had direct access to, such as PCs and printers, but is now expected to fix these devices remotely. IT needs to be flexible and deal with more issues than ever before – from protecting against viruses and countless security issues, to dealing with logistics, such as deployment and collecting or wiping devices when employees leave the organization.

• Q. What are the dangers of “jailbreaking”, and what key tactics can IT departments use to secure their mobile device populations?

A. When you “jailbreak” a device you remove the security controls that prevent access to data on the device by unauthorized people and applications,  allowing you to add software that isn’t approved by the device manufacturer, and in turn leaving the device (and the entire network) vulnerable to hacking and malicious attacks. Organizations should safeguard that employees procure only approved devices, and have the ability to block jailbroken devices from accessing the network. By using mobile device management software or services that integrate with mobile device procurement and management solutions, organizations can control the type of devices that an employee provisions to access the company network, therefore limiting access to information based on their role and/or location. Organizations need a mobile strategy that monitors and enforces device compliance changes beyond basic configuration.

• Q. How is Tangoe currently working to help companies keep their mobile devices safe and secure?

A. Tangoe works with companies to enable IT to take back control to manage the mobile devices accessing their network. We work with companies to keep them updated on the latest issues and risks in the mobile industry so they can keep mobile devices and the company network safe and secure. We work with their teams and advise them on what to allow, block, or quarantine as we see these issues come up. IT developers their security policies and we provide them with the tools and expertise to deploy and enforce those policies to effectively keep their network secure.

Wayne DeCesaris, Sr. VP Managed Solutions Tangoe, Inc.

Wayne has worked in the wireless telecom field for more than 15 years, and has designed, developed, architected cellular billing systems throughout the North, South America, and the Middle East.

In his current position as VP Managed Solutions for Tangoe he is an acknowledged expert in fixed and mobile Telecom Expense Management solutions. Wayne has been a leader in Tangoe’s global expansion and for the past 5 years and has worked closely with global 200 enterprises evaluating, and implementing TEM solutions in both the US and internationally.