Who would have thought ‘super information highway’ would go mobile. With the emergence of new technology and people desiring to have technology at their fingertips, mobile computing has changed the way we interact with the world around us. While mobile technology provides the convenience of high availability and connectivity, these conveniences have also increased mobile device vulnerability to malicious attacks and threats. Many companies are providing mobile devices to employees in order to conduct business away from the office. This has proven to be major headache for IT professionals. Normally, IT professionals control network activity through vulnerability assessments, scans, audits, and security patches; unfortunately, the same does not hold true for mobile devices. Unlike wired network connections, mobile devices favor wireless internet connectivity and are constantly broadcasting for connection to a wireless network. Many hotels, restaurants, and airports offer free WI-FI to the public, unlike home or office networks, most public networks are not secure. It is tempting to utilize free connectivity to check email, however, these networks do not offer the level of encryption needed to conduct company business and employees should be advised to avoid unencrypted public wireless internet connectivity. Disabling Bluetooth wireless capability is another way to assist in protecting mobile devices from malicious attacks. Switching the Bluetooth access to the off position will prevent the mobile device from searching, broadcasting, and synchronizing with other Bluetooth enabled devices. Turning the Bluetooth to the off position also eliminates entry point for hackers, malware, viruses, and access to personal data.

To further safeguard mobile devices, companies must establish a mobile device security policy. The policy should include