This archived TechRepublic Premium report, originally published in July 2016, is available for free to registered TechRepublic members. For all the latest research reports, 100+ ready-made policies, IT job descriptions, and more, check out TechRepublic Premium.

From the report:

Companies of all sizes and in every industry are implementing mobile applications because of the agility that mobile devices provide, yet the increased use of mobile computing also brings a new set of security risks that organizations must address.

These devices are used externally as well as internally within companies. With the amount of time that mobile devices are used off-premises, risks of device loss, data loss or security breaches escalate. So, too, does the risk of devices being misused by those who are both authorized and unauthorized to use them.

Going forward, companies will move beyond mobile devices and begin to implement Internet of Things (IoT) devices and applications that demand greater security on the edges where computing occurs. This is in contrast to the centralized network security model that companies have used in the past.

As mobile computing advances, IT will be called upon to safeguard equipment, data and applications that employees will be operating at any time and from anywhere. To accomplish this, IT must implement security systems for mobile and IoT applications that are agile, robust and able to function within, at and beyond the edge of the enterprise network. Aggressive policy development and training for employees, who can often be a leading source of mobile computing security abuse, is equally important.

In April and May 2016, TechRepublic Premium conducted an online survey about mobile device security to explore who’s using mobile devices in the enterprise, what types of devices they’re using and what measures are taken to secure these devices. We also looked at beliefs surrounding security, including why respondents believe mobile devices are more or less secure than fixed devices and whether or not news stories about security breaches had an impact on strategic or purchasing decisions.

For survey findings and analysis, read the full report.