A report just published that highlights the rising numbers of workers are moving to a truly mobile working environment confirms what many in the IT security industry have suspected for some time, says Claire Sellick, Event Director for Infosecurity Europe.
The iPass report, which took in responses from 1,000 enterprises, found that large swathes of enterprise staffers are using their smartphones to access their email - and a whole lot more.
"What is particularly concerning is the fact that 54 per cent of Blackberry users said they would move to an Apple iPhone if they were offered one, and 63% of employees prefer their smartphone over a laptop," she said.
"The problem here is that, whilst it's relatively easy to defend a laptop against the vagaries of a mobile Internet connection, securing a smartphone is a whole new ballgame for many IT managers," she added.
And, Sellick went on to say, as iPass said in its report, there are clear resultant risks in terms of compliance and security that arise from the migration to smartphones.
Many of the exhibitors at the upcoming Infosecurity Europe event, which takes place at London's Earl's Court exhibition centre on 27th - 29th April, are showing security solutions to what many people are calling the shift to agile working.
In addition, she explained, the show's education programme - which sees a raft of industry professionals giving their advice to visitors free of charge - will help IT managers make the transition to agile working in a safe and secure manner.
What is clear from anecdotal evidence - as well as studies of the enterprise workforce such as this latest one - is that the shift to mobile working is becoming something of a revolution, rather than the progressive evolution that many have previously observed.
"It's clear that enterprises now face the issue of workers using their smartphones, as well as their laptops, whilst on the move. One of our exhibitors has report on the subject (http://www.infosec.co.uk/ExhibitorLibrary/662/Mobile_security_26.pdf) and theme will be explored in several of our keynotes and seminars at the show," she said.
"In many ways, it is security issues such as this that makes the education programme at the show so attractive to attendees, who would normally have to pay for the free advice from a variety of industry professionals if they were at a conference," she added.
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