Verizon Mobile Security Index Shows Mobility Plus IoT Expands the Enterprise Attack Surface – IT Connection

Summary Bullets:

• Most enterprises say mobile devices are crucial to operations; 95% have connected device deployments.

• AI-driven attacks including deepfakes and SMS phishing are top of mind with 77% saying they expect these types of attacks to be successful.

In this century, the sweeping impact of mobile infrastructure on corporate operations can’t be overstated. Workers have become increasingly dependent on their mobile devices to perform work-related functions. With the COVID-19 lockdown-related movement toward remote and hybrid work becoming permanent in more organizations, the importance of mobile devices has become even more outsized. But this, along with the expansion of connected device deployments, makes securing these sprawling virtual business operations environments complicated.

Verizon’s annual ‘Mobile Security Index’ survey of 600 security professionals finds a proliferation of mobile and IoT devices, with 62% of all authentications to enterprise networks coming from mobile and connected devices. There is a recognition that staff members are doing more essential work via their mobile devices than in the past. Fifty percent (50%) acknowledge that mobile devices have more access to sensitive information than even just a year ago. The extension of remote work has made mobile security a more important agenda item for 86% of respondents.

The proliferation of connected devices is changing the security picture. Almost all survey respondents – i.e., 95% – have at least some connected devices in their environments. Sixty-two percent (62%) describe their IoT environments as “mature, full scale.”

Virtually all organizations operating critical infrastructure such as utilities and water systems – i.e., 96% – have IoT deployments. Critical infrastructure is often cited for as being vulnerable to attacks because of issues such as out-of-date or insufficient security controls. The survey results bear that out, with 53% of those representing these organizations noting they have suffered serious security events resulting in downtime or data loss. Forty-eight percent (48%) of those operating critical infrastructure say that a compromise of an IoT device has caused a major operational issue.

What is clear from the research is that the mass use of mobile and IoT devices has produced more complex and potentially more porous enterprise environments. The first step to protecting these is understanding that effective multi-layer security controls need to be in place and then building out plans to execute on that.