Blog & Company News
Sep 6, 2013
Gartner Says BYOD Adoption Will Drive New Mobile Security Provider Opportunities
Mobile security providers may get a boost this year as bring your own device (BYOD) initiatives increase among enterprises, Gartner reports.
While consumers aren’t interested in paying for antivirus software protection on their mobile devices, according to Gartner, use of personal devices at work may provide new opportunities for security providers.
“The use of personal devices at work matches high-enterprise demand for solutions to the BYOD security problem,” said Ruggero Contu, research director at Gartner. “This presents providers of both consumers and enterprise endpoint security products with an opportunity to enforce security to private devices and potentially expand their footprint into the consumer space.”
Subsequently, Contu added that product managers at consumer security providers “need to adopt strategies that allow consumer security use on personal devices in the enterprise workplace.”
It may come as no surprise to readers that Gartner would suggest “new opportunities” for mobile security providers. After all, BYOD adoption in enterprises is increasing and thus, so is security risks.
Just recently, for instance, consulting firm Frost & Sullivan reported that “mobile devices are progressively targeted by hackers, leaving compromised devices as potential entry point into enterprise networks containing sensitive and proprietary business information.”
As enterprise IT organizations face pressure to enable employees to access corporate networks and files across all devices from anywhere, Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Chris Rodriguez says these personal devices are “prime targets for hackers.”
Rodriguez added, “Enterprise organizations know they must take action, but are challenged to find a balance between usability, accessibility and security.”
To help with security, Gartner suggests product managers of security providers should “expand traditional endpoint consumer security product capabilities to include all mobile device platforms alongside traditional desktop and laptop offerings.”
Additionally, the research firm recommends starting at low price points as most consumers are unwilling to pay high fees for security, and that providers should focus on gender, age and IT skills of specific audiences in order to correctly determine which security demands they require.
“The current awareness of security and its impact on users of mobile devices is likely to change,” said Contu. “Gartner expects attacks to focus increasingly on mobile platforms as they become more popular. This is likely to make consumers show more interest in security products that address mobile devices and acquire mobile security as a broader consumer endpoint security platform.”
As the number of devices consumers own increases, Gartner forecasts multi-device licensing to become more attractive. However, Gartner also says that consumers will expect “to be able to deploy mobile security capabilities as an extension of their existing consumer security licenses.”
As a last piece of advice, Gartner notes that while consumers over the age of 50 are likely to purchase an antivirus package, younger consumers are not. Generally, those under 50-years-old opt for free antivirus software; therefore, Gartner suggests that providers look for alternative revenue models such as raising advertising revenue, selling gaming software or monetizing on third-party relationships while offering free consumer products.
Mobile security providers may get a boost this year as bring your own device (BYOD) initiatives increase among enterprises, Gartner reports.
While consumers aren’t interested in paying for antivirus software protection on their mobile devices, according to Gartner, use of personal devices at work may provide new opportunities for security providers.
“The use of personal devices at work matches high-enterprise demand for solutions to the BYOD security problem,” said Ruggero Contu, research director at Gartner. “This presents providers of both consumers and enterprise endpoint security products with an opportunity to enforce security to private devices and potentially expand their footprint into the consumer space.”
Subsequently, Contu added that product managers at consumer security providers “need to adopt strategies that allow consumer security use on personal devices in the enterprise workplace.”
It may come as no surprise to readers that Gartner would suggest “new opportunities” for mobile security providers. After all, BYOD adoption in enterprises is increasing and thus, so is security risks.
Just recently, for instance, consulting firm Frost & Sullivan reported that “mobile devices are progressively targeted by hackers, leaving compromised devices as potential entry point into enterprise networks containing sensitive and proprietary business information.”
As enterprise IT organizations face pressure to enable employees to access corporate networks and files across all devices from anywhere, Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Chris Rodriguez says these personal devices are “prime targets for hackers.”
Rodriguez added, “Enterprise organizations know they must take action, but are challenged to find a balance between usability, accessibility and security.”
To help with security, Gartner suggests product managers of security providers should “expand traditional endpoint consumer security product capabilities to include all mobile device platforms alongside traditional desktop and laptop offerings.”
Additionally, the research firm recommends starting at low price points as most consumers are unwilling to pay high fees for security, and that providers should focus on gender, age and IT skills of specific audiences in order to correctly determine which security demands they require.
“The current awareness of security and its impact on users of mobile devices is likely to change,” said Contu. “Gartner expects attacks to focus increasingly on mobile platforms as they become more popular. This is likely to make consumers show more interest in security products that address mobile devices and acquire mobile security as a broader consumer endpoint security platform.”
As the number of devices consumers own increases, Gartner forecasts multi-device licensing to become more attractive. However, Gartner also says that consumers will expect “to be able to deploy mobile security capabilities as an extension of their existing consumer security licenses.”
As a last piece of advice, Gartner notes that while consumers over the age of 50 are likely to purchase an antivirus package, younger consumers are not. Generally, those under 50-years-old opt for free antivirus software; therefore, Gartner suggests that providers look for alternative revenue models such as raising advertising revenue, selling gaming software or monetizing on third-party relationships while offering free consumer products. 
