Enterprise mobility still carries risk for most businesses

The disconnect between business and personal activities on mobile devices brings on many challenges, as highlighted in a new report from McAfee (INTC) done in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University.
“Devices are no longer just consumer devices or business devices. They are both,” Richard Power, a distinguished fellow at Carnegie Mellon University’s CyLab, said in a prepared statement. “Devices are more than extensions of the computing structure, they are extensions of the user. The way users interact with their personal data mirrors the way they want to interact with corporate data.”
About half of all organizations surveyed said they are very reliant on mobile devices and around seven in 10 organizations are more reliant on mobile devices than they were a year ago. While IT is increasingly driven by consumer interests and demands, it’s no surprise that 63% of all devices on corporate networks surveyed are also used for personal activities.
This all leads to frequent data loss, weak security measures and lax processes for data back up. Around 40% of the 1,500 respondents have had mobile devices lost or stolen and more than a third of those losses have had a financial impact on the company. Fewer than half of device users back up their mobile data on a weekly basis and one in three users keeps sensitive work-related data on their mobile devices.
“Data loss remains a huge problem for both consumers and businesses,” said Todd Gebhart, EVP and GM of consumer, small business and mobile at McAfee. “Consumers need tools to protect their personal information and businesses need a way to protect their valuable intellectual property. It’s far too easy to leave a mobile device in a cab, or at the airport. This study shows that there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of education and putting the right tools in place to ensure mobile security.”