Category: Mobile Security

Emerging opportunities push retailers to become more mobile-centric

New opportunities are emerging for retailers in the mobile space, which is leading to them upgrading their mobile applications and websites in order to effectively engage consumers, according to a new report from Boston Retail Partners. The report shows that mobile commerce has become quite profitable for retailers, but in order to find continued success in this space, they must address issues concerning security and consumer privacy. This is becoming especially important as fraud is growing more prevalent in the e-commerce and mobile commerce spaces.

Report highlights the need for retailers to upgrade their mobile websites and apps

The report shows that mobile websites are becoming an important priority for retailers. These websites allow retailers to better engage mobile consumers, and Google has recently required businesses to ensure that they have mobile sites in order to retain their search rankings. Mobile apps are also a priority for retailers, as they allow consumers to efficiently shop online. For physical retailers, these apps are especially important, as they will allow merchants to effectively engage consumers that are interested in mobile commerce.

Security is becoming a top priority as EMV standards spread throughout the world

As mobile commerce grows, retailers will have to address issues concerning security and privacy. The report shows that as EMV standards are imposed in counties, in-store fraud falls dramatically. The problem, however, is that the introduction of these standards causes the online fraud to skyrocket. With many retailers embracing these standards, they are finding it more important to improve their security measures, especially if they want to compete in the mobile commerce market aggressively.

Retailers are beginning to see the challenges associated with bringing their various channels together alongside mobile

With mobile commerce becoming more important, retailers are finding it more challenging to integrate all of their channels. Retailers must provide consumers with seamless experiences in order to provide them with effective services, but this has proven quite challenging for some businesses, especially if they do not have extensive experience with the mobile and digital spaces.

The company has said that it would prefer to leave that country than to open its servers to authorities there.

BlackBerry Ltd. has announced that it will be placing its previous intentions to withdraw from its Pakistan operations on hold for the moment but that it will stand firm when it comes to maintaining the mobile security and privacy of its customers.

It continues to say that it will step out of its Pakistan operations if authorities there continue to demand access to its data.

The authorities in Pakistan have been demanding “unfettered” access to all of the customer data stored on the company’s BES servers. BlackBerry has been refusing to comply with these demands and had intended to close up its business there. While it has now said that it is delaying its withdrawal, it has added that it is not changing its position when it comes to the mobile security and personal and business privacy of its customers.

The Canadian smartphone maker has said that it will keep up its mobile security and Pakistan operations until December 30.

This extension is the outcome of a compliance extension that the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority issued to its original order that was created in July. The company had already been saying that it would not breach the privacy of its customers on the BES servers and that it would leave Pakistan rather than comply with the demands being made by those authorities. It had been required to provide full access to the server content of its BlackBerry Enterprise Service by November 30, though this has been extended by another month.

While it did say that it would be willing to work with the authorities in Pakistan in order to ensure that public safety remains protected, but that the mobile security and privacy of its customers are at the highest priority to BlackBerry and that it won’t give in or even compromise when it comes to opening up all access to the authorities in the country.

Marty Beard, the BlackBerry operations chief, explained that the company does know that it is vitally important to cooperate with a government’s lawful information request when it comes to detecting criminal activity, but that it never has and never will simply open up complete access to BlackBerry’s service.