Mobile security continues to be high priority in government
As the world becomes more mobile, the adoption of mobile technology on the government level is becoming more prolific. In the U.S., the federal government has been reviewing the quality of mobile devices based on the Android operating system. For several years, Blackberry mobile devices have been the standard for government workers, largely due to their mobile security features and the fact that these devices can be locked down relatively easily in the event of a serious threat. While Blackberry has long been a favorite for the federal government, that is likely to change due to the favor of the Department of Defense.
Samsung Knox wins approval from DoD
Late last week, Samsung announced that its mobile security suite known as Knox has received the approval of the Department of Defense. This approval had initially been restricted to the Blackberry operating system, which the Department of Defense had considered the most secure mobile operating system available. According to the federal agency, Samsung’s Knox mobile security software is on par with the security that can be found on the Blackberry operating system. As such, Android devices may soon become readily available to government workers.
Blackberry may soon see strong competition
Mobile security has become a major concerning for the federal government. Mobile devices traffic a significant amount of sensitive information, all of which is highly valuable to hackers and malicious groups that would be interested in exploiting this information. With mobile security having a high priority in the federal government, diversity in mobile devices has been somewhat sparse on the government level.
Approval from agency may boost enterprise performance of Samsung Galaxy S 4
Samsung is making a major push into the enterprise market with its Galaxy S 4, which will equipped with the company’s formidable Knox mobile security system. The enterprise market has, for several years, been dominated by the Blackberry. Whether Android devices can succeed in this realm is unknown, but their performance in the market is likely to see a significant boost from the approval of the Department of Defense.
Mobile security attracts attention of FTC
Mobile security is a potential catastrophic problem, according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection. The federal government has been pushing for more comprehensive mobile security measures to be put in place throughout the country. Mobile applications and the information they collect from consumers has, thus far, been the primary focus of the government’s mobile security concerns, with the FTC aiming to hold applications developers and companies responsible for the information that they collect.
FTC targeting companies collecting consumer information
The issue of mobile security has become more pronounced since the FTC filed a case against Compete, a search marketing firm. Compete uses technology to collect personal data from consumers using its services, without providing these consumers with information about how this data will be used. In the case, the FTC has prohibited the company from collecting consumer information without the express consent of the consumer. The FTC also closed several cases against companies concerning the use of software that was being used to deliberately spy on consumers.
Google runs afoul of federal government
Google was also targeted by the FTC in late 2012 for circumventing the protocols of Apple’s Safari Internet browser to introduce users to targeted advertisements. The massive technology company was fined a record setting penalty of $22.5 million for breaching mobile security standards. FTC officials are likening the current state of the country’s mobile security practices to the “wild, wild west,” suggesting that many companies operating in the mobile space have little to no concern for mobile security.
Mobile security recommendations coming from the FTC
The FTC is currently developing recommendations concerning mobile security standards titled “Building Trust Through Transparency.” These recommendations are meant to help ensure the protection of consumer information, keeping this data safe from exploitation by marketers and similar groups. The initial recommendations will focus on companies collecting information from mobile consumers. In the future, the FTC will focus more closely on application developers, hoping to further bolster mobile security for consumers.
