Device Security

What is device security?

Hackers constantly attack the devices we use to access the Internet. As a result, the security of our online information needs to be maintained. With the explosion of IoT and the growing use of mobile phones and other mobile devices, it’s more important to understand device security.

In this age of digital threats, to defend against modern cyber-attacks, a device security strategy must be multilayered, with multiple security solutions working in tandem with one another and focused on a consistent set of processes.

Finally, end-users and IT staff must be aligned in best practices for security, such as keeping software updated and using the right gateways to access applications remotely.

What does device security include?

Device security has three fundamental components.

People: Security experts — whether in-house or at a cloud service provider — are the core of device security. They decide what tools and controls are implemented and monitor environments for anomalies and threats. Therefore, the ability to educate end-users on how to avoid sensitive data leakage and how to conduct their jobs remotely safely and securely is extremely important.

Processes: Device security is about maintaining a good security policy and following best practices to keep users’ devices safe. Malware and ransomware are becoming more and more prevalent. You need to know how to identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover from malware and ransomware.

Technologies: There are many solutions available for a security. Most are technical, some are manual, and many are in-between. Websites, applications, and their data are often vulnerable to attacks by hackers, malware, or other malicious actors. As technology advances, the exact mix of tools changes. For instance, secure internet access might replace a traditional virtual private network (VPN).

Why is device security important?

Data breaches have become increasingly expensive, and modern cybersecurity is the only effective way to protect against them. Device security mitigates the risks of unauthorized access, unclosed vulnerabilities, and malicious traffic and applications. Remote work is becoming the norm in offices and outside of them. As a result, employees need to protect devices to keep work secure and safe. In addition, applications are accessed from various locations and mobile devices over the internet. When organizations are not protected from apps and their access modes, they are exposed to significant risks from hackers and cybercriminals.

What are the main types of device security?

Several main subcategories of device security must be integrated into any overarching cybersecurity strategy, including but not limited to:

Network security

This is the protection of networks against the entry and spread of threats. As a result, cloud security has been a fast-growing trend in the last few years. The secure access service edge (SASE) is an essential model for network security, as it combines the features of a software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) with a variety of controls such as secure web gateways (SWGs) and cloud application security brokers.

Application security

Application security means everything from proper coding and software engineering practices to ensuring that end users only see what they are supposed to. Much of this work happens during development. This means that we’re testing new features during this phase. In addition, updates to the software are essential to thwarting cyberattacks.

Cloud security

Cloud security consists of both the mechanisms for protecting applications and securing their access. There are mechanisms in the latter category in the remote work environment that include firewalls, SWGs, malware defense, sandboxes, and more. In addition, cloud service providers handle many app-specific security controls on their end simultaneously.

Data security

For the most part, the encryption, key management, and tokenization measures included in data security do not include the sensitive information and personal data you want to protect. Access controls like multi-factor authentication (MFA), single sign-on, and data loss prevention (DLP) solutions are also relevant to this mobile device security subcategory.

Endpoint security

Endpoint security is the process of protecting computers and mobile devices from being hacked or maliciously altered. It’s used to ensure that sensitive data stored on devices isn’t exposed or accessed by an attacker. IT managers need to be aware of how an end-user’s activities are being tracked on corporate servers and how this data is used for fraud or other purposes that might not be in the organization’s best interests.

Mobile device management

Mobile device management helps IT with mobile device security plans. It’s a good idea to have these tools in place. This type of device security is significant in organizations where data, files, and applications are accessed from personal devices.

What are the biggest device security threats?

Device security threats are numerous, but a few deserve particular attention.

• Malware: Malware is any malicious software. It may be designed to harvest and exfiltrate data, make an operating system unusable, or disrupt the target device. These types of malware are referred to as subtypes, such as spyware, trojans, worms, viruses, and ransomware.
• Ransomware: Though it’s existed for years, ransomware has become more prevalent over time as digital currencies make it easier for cyberattack perpetrators to receive payments. Ransomware is malware that uses encryption to hold your data for ransom. It’s like a holdup, but with no gun or violence involved.
• Phishing: Phishing is a social engineering technique that helps attackers take control of victims’ computers by tricking them into visiting a malicious website. This usually occurs via email but may also be a text message.

In remote work environments, the following three security risks are more pressing because IT does not have direct control over a defined network perimeter or user behaviors:

Cloud-based and network-aware appliances (CAAs), WAFs, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and zero-trust network access (ZTNA) have all become necessary.

AppViewX solutions for device security

Device security is becoming increasingly complex because cloud applications and remote work setups are becoming more common. AppViewX offers multiple device security solutions designed for remote and on-site work environments. These solutions help you improve your access to applications.

• Automated integrated workflows: Service catalog integrated to run and manage LTM, GTM, WAF etc., along with DDI, ITSM etc. delivers additional capabilities to protect access to SaaS and cloud applications.
• CVE reporting: Analytics for CVE helps proactively detect and contain threats, protecting users and sensitive data.
• RBAC: Allows limited access control, web-filtering, and single sign-on for many applications.