The mobile workforce are the super productive bunch. They are the ones pushing the envelop of BYOD. For the mobile workforce, balancing work and life can mean that they check corporate email on a personal device, and browse the Internet using a corporate laptop while traveling.

Many IT professionals would agree that empowering these mobile workers with the tools they need while ensuring security can be a tough balancing act. Here are a few tips to help you secure your mobile workforces without overworking the IT folks.

1. Choose a cloud-based security subscription service that offers secu­rity software and policy updates anywhere without slowing down users.
Let’s face it, when your users are on the road, how often do they use a VPN to connect? If you rely on VPN connection to send security updates or refresh policies, you’ll be constantly behind.

2. Take advantage of security software web filtering capabilities that block malicious and web-borne threats before they reach the computer, as well as enforce proper usage policy.
When your mobile workers are on the road, it is expected that they would connect to the hotel’s Wi-Fi to browse the Internet to check the sports page on their work iPad.

The key is to keep them protected from web-borne threats. Take advantage of endpoint enforced web protection capabilities built-in to the local security agent. This way, you avoid latency and eliminate the need to backhaul traffic using a VPN connection. (We already know that people don’t always connect to the VPN before they browse the Internet!)

3. Select a solution that will protect Windows and Mac com­puters equally with a single policy.
Take a look at an airline lounge and count how many Macbooks are being used. According to our recent survey, 10% of laptop computers on the corporate network are Macs.

Get a security solution that will protect Windows and Mac equally. To reduce IT’s workload, it is also important to ensure that you can manage both with a single policy engine. This way, you will only have to configure policy once and it works automatically on both Windows and Mac OS X.

4. To protect data and ensure compliance, be sure to encrypt data on both Windows and Mac.
We all know encryption is essential for mobile workers, yet 80% of corporate computers are un-encrypted. Many mobile workers refuse to get encryption on their laptops out of concerns of slow speeds and longer boot time.

Select an encryption solution that works on both Windows and Mac, and with high performance that won’t slow down your users.

5. Select a single solution that gives you visibility into all the devices your remote users are using, including Windows or Mac laptops and mo­bile devices.
Mobile users today use an average of three devices to get their work done. Ideally, use a solution with a user-centric view, so when you are trouble shooting for a mobile worker, you can easily see the events, devices used and policy applied to the specific individual.

About Sophos Cloud

Businesses and IT managers have a simple choice – Sophos Cloud. There’s no server to install and the management console is hosted in the cloud. So, you’ll be up and running in just 60 seconds.

1) Windows, Mac and mobile device security in a single, integrated console
2) User-centric pricing, policy and reporting
3) Comprehensive protection without complexity

Try Sophos Cloud for free.

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