Companies sacrifice mobile security for business reasons

Verizon warns that a significant number of businesses and other organizations are falling short in securing their mobile data due to a lack of awareness about threats — or by placing a higher priority on getting products to market. The carrier's 2018 Mobile Security Index found nearly a third (32 percent) of organizations surveyed admitted to sacrificing mobile security to improve business performance and 38 percent of those said that their organization is at significant risk from mobile threats.

Although 93 percent of survey respondents said mobile devices presented serious security threats, just 14 percent of their organizations implemented "the most basic cybersecurity practices." The survey respondents were professionals who were in charge of mobile technology in their organizations and included the hospitality sector. Mobile affects many systems in a hotel, including property-management systems, point-of-sale systems, door locks, messaging systems and more.

“As mobility becomes more integral to business operations in today’s digital economy—from supply-chain management to [Internet of Things]-enabled sensors to customer-facing mobile apps—protecting mobile platforms is critical,” Verizon SVP Thomas Fox said in a statement. “Securing the multitude of mobile devices that connect to public and private networks and platforms is paramount for protecting corporate assets and brand integrity.”