Mobile threat defense: What is it and why do you need it?

Posted on Wednesday February 15, 2023

As our reliance on mobile devices for personal and professional use continues to rise, so does our risk of being targeted for a cyberattack. Individuals and companies must now take risk management and mitigation to an entirely new level, and mobile threat defense (MTD) is the ideal solution for achieving this goal. This article will teach you what MTD is, how it works, and why it's essential to your security measures.

What is mobile threat defense?

MTD provides a comprehensive safeguard against cyberattacks on Android and other mobile devices. It constantly scans for malicious activity, allowing you to identify any potential threats before they become an issue. Through proactive monitoring and mitigation efforts, MTD ensures that your organization's mobile devices remain safe from security threats.

How does MTD work?

MTD defends against potential threats on three fronts:

On mobile devices MTD technology on mobile phones not only scans for potential vulnerabilities, such as outdated OS versions and system parameters, but it also inspects devices for system misconfigurations that could lead to a data breach. In addition, these applications constantly examine user activity for suspicious behavior such as privilege escalation that could grant anyone remote access to your network.

On applications On the application level, MTD platforms can identify data spills and other security issues. These issues often occur when apps access information in other applications. This can be problematic if private data is exchanged between private apps and those approved by an enterprise on one device. Some MTD tools are designed to restrict the installation of specific apps not approved by your IT team.

On the network MTD solutions continuously scan network traffic for suspicious activity. This allows them to identify invalid and spoofed certificates, as well as any security weaknesses that can be exploited in a man-in-the-middle attack.

Benefits of MTD

The key benefits of implementing MTD solutions include:

Increased confidence in implementing a BYOD policy With MTD solutions, you can rest easy knowing that your staff will be protected while using their personal mobile devices for work.

Faster threat response MTD will actively prevent malicious attacks on users' mobile devices before they can cause significant damage.

Improved visibility With MTD, you'll gain invaluable insight into the security posture of your mobile workforce.

Compliance with data protection regulations MTD guarantees the security of your organization's confidential information regardless of where that information is stored or accessed.

To learn more about how MTD can keep your network secure, talk to one of our security experts today.