Security In The Post-PC Era: Controlled Chaos

This year, the number of post-PC devices, such as tablets, eReaders, and Internet-capable mobile phones, will eclipse PC devices, such as desktops, laptops, and netbooks. The surge in post-PC devices that do less but do it in more places means that security and risk (S&R) professionals no longer have the authority to veto the use of mobile devices or limit use to a specific brand. But these devices increase the risks enterprises face, with the prospect of increased theft and rogue apps and questions about data ownership. On the other hand, post-PC devices are safer to use than traditional PCs and require less security aftermarket products as a result. S&R professionals should aim to bring a measure of control to an increasingly chaotic environment but not stifle employee flexibility and innovation. To be successful, enterprises must let device capabilities, not brands, drive support decisions; build a multidevice management infrastructure; set up a company app store; and use thin clients to keep sensitive data off of endpoint devices.