21st Century Learning and Teaching

With the growth of BYOD, what security measures can IT take to ensure security of enterprise data – and does MDM have a role?

Unfortunately, the "EdTech vs. IT" mindset is all too prevalent in many organizations.  Operational IT looks down disdainfully on their users from an ivory tower, viewing them as "threats" to be carefully controlled and monitored. 

Teachers view the IT department as a bunch of out of touch control freaks who hinder rather than facilitate their work. As a former teacher, I have seen it from both sides.

This sad situation is wrong on many levels. 

===> The relationship between IT and users should be a partnership, not a boxing match! <===

Bringing your own device to work may be beneficial to the worker, but what about when personal citizen data gets loaded on to such devices? British authorities are firing off the warning flares.

The ICO this week published its latest guidance note [PDF] on some of the risks that employers face when allowing personal devices into the enterprise. While BYOD is on the rise in the U.K., employers must still remember that the Data Protection Act—which stems from a 1995 European directive—still applies to these devices.

Is BYOD a blessing or a curse?, asks Emma Byrne (@SciWriBy) Enthusiasts of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend are quick to point out the benefits for tomorrow’s business. Meanwhile, detractors warn of the increased costs and security headaches.

People may think their shiny new smartphones and tablets are safe from hackers and malicious software, but that isn't the case, Internet security

A new survey has found rising interest in mobile device management platforms to address mobile security threats. Still, few IT professionals indicate a real deployment of the platforms.

The survey found that 34 percent of respondents considered mobile devices a serious threat to business, and 55 percent said they were thinking more about the security of corporate smartphones and tablets than they did last year.

Despite the attention given to mobile malware and attacks targeting device owners, the biggest threat to enterprises are lost and stolen devices, according to most security experts.

===> The survey found that 10 percent of respondents experienced data leaks following the loss or theft of mobile devices. <===

By now, most everyone has heard the story: on April 23rd, the AP’s twitter account was “hacked.” The tweet, which was a fairly obviously fake, still managed to send Wall Street into a panic. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 145 points in 2 minutes.

So why is this important? It highlights the reality of the threat landscape.

The point of the story is that mobile security isn’t just about protecting you from viruses. Threats don’t only come in the form of malicious applications that one inadvertently “sideloads” onto his or her device. Mobile security is also about making sure your data is protected.

It doesn’t matter whether the economic climate is good or bad, there is always a market for fraud. The marketplace for carding is growing and will continue to grow. And as the engineers behind these types of attacks get smarter and smarter, we can only expect to see them more and more often.

There are a few snags that can get in the way of implementing BYOD in schools and are worth knowing about before setting out on a BYOD path.

1. Security

2. Safety

3. Affordability

4. Networking and Compatibility

There are some surprising numbers available that tell a dark story about mobile apps and what they can be doing on your device.

By now you've read about malicious apps that leak privacy data, but do you realize how serious it really is? If not, you'd better pay attention to the following statistics gathered by Symantec*. And if you think that Google Play is 100% safe, it isn't. I have some data that yields some shocking results about the number of malicious apps waiting to grab your data.

===> Unfortunately, the playing surface for Internet naughtiness has changed in the past couple of years and you need to know that it's only getting worse. <===

Bring Your Own Device policies could be a good way for schools to digitalize the teaching environment without breaking the bank.

Yet, before opening up their networks to devices students bring from home, it is important that schools take steps to ensure ===>  that it’s done safely and effectively. <===

Jonathan P. Costa, Sr. – writing for EDTECH – details what the schools need to do to accomplish that goal.