Too strict mobile security can frustrate employees

Executives are dancing on a thin line between state-of-the-art security for their company, and just overdoing it, frustrating their employees. This is according to a new report by BlackBerry Limited, which says that, as executives fail to implement the highest levels of security possible, they’re opening up their business to various vulnerabilities, mostly in the mobile segment.

There’s an interesting survey following it -- 82 percent of executives said mobile security precautions cause "at least some frustration among employees" and is even being lined with hindered productivity. Overall, 44 percent believe too much security prevents people from doing their job.

Yet, almost three quarters (73 percent) have a mobile strategy set up, with just three percent saying it’s the highest level possible.

"The frequency and severity of malicious attacks have made mobile security the center of attention for CEOs and boards of directors, but doing enough to mitigate risk is still a persistent problem that needs to be solved. This is especially true as the constant adoption of new technologies regularly brings the potential for new vulnerabilities, which can offset the benefits", says David Kleidermacher, chief security officer at BlackBerry.

"We have also heard many of our customers say that security policies can be perceived as a hindrance. However, senior executives in every function, and even in the boardroom, need to forcefully communicate that effective mobile security enhances productivity instead of obstructing it".

The research also reveals that almost half of respondents don’t have a security incident response team (SIRT), even though it is considered industry best practice.

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