New security issues are arising for companies using smartphones and tablets for increased productivity. With new demands being made for instantaneous answers to corporate questions, corporations are finding that they may be leaving themselves vulnerable to outside cyber-attacks in order to have remote access to corporate information.

Many workers are using their own smartphones and tablets, the term for this now being BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), to perform work functions while they’re away from the office. Many companies now are establishing mobile device management (MDM) in order to help guard corporations against hackers and to provide a more secure environment for workers to be able to use mobile devices in order to increase productivity numbers.

The amount of money derived through mobile revenue was 178 million dollars in 2011, and is projected to reach more than 700 million dollars by 2018.

The need for mobile device management platforms has become a necessity due to the rise in mobility, and these policies will be able to secure mobile devices, as well as monitor the devices, the content being used, and applications containing active and valuable information. Companies choose to use various devices, depending on their preference for iOS, Android (News - Alert), Windows Mobile, and Blackberry. 

All of these systems can be supervised by an aggressive mobile device monitoring system to provide added security.

"Product capabilities, costs, quality and timeliness of service are the four major factors consumers look for in MDM solutions,” said Frost & Sullivan analyst Vikrant Gandhi. “These solutions work best when they are in line with the corporate policies and structure of the organization."

When trying to find a middle ground between individuals and corporations using mobile devices, it needs to be cost-effective for both parties. It proves to be a difficult situation for a corporation to impose restrictive policies for individuals using their own devices, but they cannot risk security of the corporation.

Gandhi added, “A middle-ground is crucial. Businesses that successfully leverage mobility to manage the shift to an all-virtual corporate environment will drive greater efficiency and operational advantages over their peers."