Trends in Mobile Computing Security and Remediation Steps Towards Ensuring Data

Posted by Melda Research on February 12th, 2019

Introduction
Mobile computing refers to the ability to make use of wireless computing technology while moving (Meghanathan, 2010). Devices that utilize this technology include laptops and handhelds. Apparently, mobile computing helps increasing productivity and operational efficiency. However, this comes with a price. Today companies that use mobile computing face a range of issues with regards to security. This paper discusses the current trends in mobile computing security and goes on to identify the remediation steps organizations take to maintain data confidentiality and integrity.
As said earlier, mobile computing has its fair share of security concerns as any other technology. That is mainly due to its nomadic nature that leaves it not simple to monitor the proper usage of this connection. Following the inability to control its utility, the different users of this network develop diverse intentions, knowing that they can do harm undetected. Improper and unethical practices have thus increasingly been a witness in mobile computing environments (Basta et al., 2011). As such, organizations that rely on or engage in mobile computing in the delivery of their activities face a lot of problems, some of which are as follows.
The first of these issues is the risk of information exposure. Mobile computing leaves most of these organizations in a risk of revealing their sensitive information, some of which is useful in supporting critical functions of the organization. This opens links to attacks by hackers (Meghanathan, 2010). Another security issue currently faced by organizations that use mobile computing is industrial espionage. This is the cover, and in many times illegal practice undertaken by some enterprises. It involves investigating competitors to gain a business advantage. Spies may infiltrate through social engineering tactics, for instance by tricking an employee into divulging privileged information. The main target that acclaims such an investigation might be to draw trade secrets of the competing business that may be product specification, formula or information about business plans. With the thriving of mobile computing network, experienced industrial spies have succeeded in seeking data that they use maliciously exploit their competitors to their advantage (Camarinha et al., 2008).
Another problem that has come with mobile computing is pirating. This mode of computing has made it easier for people to access, use or reproduce other individuals’ or corporate items, particularly software. Patent owners of these items strive day and night to protect them. Since this technology allows hackers (experienced and lowly experienced) to meet and merge, piracy art is passed even to the innocent users. Gradually it has become rampant and almost impossible to contain (Meghanathan, 2010). Another problem that has plagued the era of mobile computing is identity theft. Mobile computing provides ease of fraudulent acquisition and use of people’s private identifying information, mostly for financial gains (Camarinha et al., 2008).
The above mentioned problems together with others pose very major threat to organizational security. That being a very sensitive issue, most organizations remain very reluctant to implement mobile computing fearing the dangers of misrepresentation. However, some companies may not do without mobile computing. As such, the majority of these organizations have engineered prospective ideals necessary to minimize such occurrences. They have also strategized on ways curb threats that may reduce data safety and integrity. The following are measures that organizations install to ensure that safety and integrity of data are up to date.
Ways to maintain security and integrity of data
Integrity about data refers to the assuring data accuracy and consistency over its entire life-cycle. Data security is defined in an almost similar manner with data integrity. It basically implies protecting data from destructive forces that may come in terms of unwanted actions of unauthorized users (Basta et al., 2011). Data may undergo a series of operations in support of decision-making. Such operations include capture, storage, retrieval, update and transfer. During these undertakings, data loss due to accidental deletions or malicious access may happen. However, to be universally useful for all projects that require it, data must be kept free from corruption, modification or unauthorized disclosures (Meghanathan, 2010). Database validity and fidelity assurance professionals of any organization may employ any of the following practices to assure data integrity and security. First is data encryption. That is a data validity measuring scheme that locks data from code to reduce its maneuverability. Data integrity and security may also be maintained through making backups. This measure entails making copies of data in alternative locations to ensure that it is still retained even in the event the original copy is lost (Camarinha et al., 2008).
Another way through which organizations ensure data security and integrity are implanting access controls. Among these controls include assigning read/write privileges to devices that contain organization’s data. The fourth way to secure data from losing integrity is the input of auto-validation mechanism to prevent or auto-correct incorrect data entries. Data validation also serves to certify incorruptibility during data transmissions (Basta et al., 2011). Finally, these organizations also invest in creating seminars where they teach and coach the users of their products an all inclusive lesson on mobile computing ethics.

References
Basta A., Zgola M., Bullaboy D. & Whitlock T.(2011). Database Security.NY: Wesley Publishing
Camarinha, L., Afsarmanesh, H., & Ollus, M. (2008). Methods and tools for collaborative networked organizations. New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media
Meghanathan, N. (2010). Recent trends in network security and applications: Third international conference ; proceedings. Berlin: Springer

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