A Note to CEOs: Shadow IT is Not Someone Else’s Problem
Letting employees use their own phones and apps for work tasks saves time and investment on new IT, right? But there’s a catch. Alongside the benefits, shadow IT is also allowing fresh vulnerabilities into the enterprise; and a whitepaper just published has a stark warning for any CEOs who may think shadow IT is not their problem. Professor Alan Woodward, a leading cybersecurity expert at Surrey University, U.K., and co-author of a new report Hacker-nomics: Introducing the Dark Web says company bosses often have too lax an attitude when it comes to their own behavior and devices. They’re often the “worst culprits”, he says.
Healthcare Wearables in Line for $7bn Revenue Increase Through 2021
Despite the fact the sector is getting little love right now, expect wearables to make a resurgence, particularly in healthcare. That’s the latest verdict from Juniper Research, which argues that the growth of smart glasses in particular is set to hit $9 billion by 2021 as the ‘new generation’ emerges. The paper, titled ‘Smart Wearables: Vendor Strategies, Opportunities & Forecasts 2017-2021’, predicts a $7 billion increase for healthcare revenues in the next four years.
IT Managers Say They Work on Mobile Security Without EMM or MMS Help
More than half of respondents in a survey conducted by mobility and telecom expense management (TEM) provider Tangoe say their job to manage mobile devices ploughs a lonely furrow. In other words, of the 100 IT managers polled, across a variety of enterprises, very few are using enterprise mobility management (EMM) or managed mobility (MMS) offerings – although many plan to over the next two years.
The ROI for Mobile-Enabled Workers Cannot Be Ignored
Rapid mobile app development (RMAD) adoption is increasing, as the return on investment (ROI) of mobile-enabled employees continues to rise, according to a new study published by PowWow Mobile and the Enterprise Mobility Exchange. “It’s no secret that enterprise applications have been long known to be complex, cumbersome, and promote terrible user experiences,” the report warns. “That all needs to change if companies are going to successfully realise the pillars of enterprise mobility – increased productivity and overall cost savings.”
Google Weeds Out Large Family of Unwanted Apps on Android Ecosystem
Google has weeded out a particularly pernicious family of potentially harmful apps from its Android Play store and ad ecosystem. The rogue app family that Google has dubbed Chamois was responsible for generating a large volume of invalid ad traffic, illegal app promotion and installation activity and for downloading and executing plugins on end user systems without the users knowledge or permissions.
Amazon Adds Alexa to its iOS Shopping App
Amazon has announced it has added its Alexa voice-activated assistant to its iOS shopping app. Shoppers using the Amazon app could already search for products or check their order status with vocal commands. Now, however, iPhone and iPad users have access to Alexa’s full skill set. In addition to shopping, a user can ask Alexa questions, stream Kindle books or music, or control Alexa-integrated smart home devices.
Software Patches Could Prevent Most Breaches, Study Finds
Approximately 80 percent of companies that had either a breach or a failed audit could have prevented the issue with a software patch or a configuration change, according to a security-automation survey of 318 firms. The survey, conducted by research firm Voke Media in late 2016, found that 27 percent of companies reported a failed audit in the prior 18 months, of which 81 percent could have been prevented with a patch or configuration change.
VR, AR Headset Shipments Will Increase Tenfold by 2021: IDC
According to new data from IDC, augmented and virtual reality headset shipments will increase tenfold, rising from 10.1 million shipments in 2016 to an estimated 99.4 million in 2021. IDC says AR and VR will woo enterprise users on the basis of productivity, “allowing workers to see and interact with data instead of viewing a static image on a screen.” The benefits will be most obvious to the manufacturing and design, health care, transportation and retail industries.
In EMM, Mobile Maturity Brings Profitability
Not all enterprise mobile apps are created equal. Look and feel aside, the function of an app can have a significant impact on your bottom line. And yet, according to a recent study, not many enterprises are reaching for the moon with their mobility programs. As AppsTechNews reports, a new study by Synchronoss Technologies finds that two in five enterprises only use mobility for email, calendar, and other basics. The study surveyed more than 500 enterprises in the US and UK.
Future Automation in the Cloud
It is now well-established that the economics of cloud computing services add massive value to the business, a contention supported both by research and by the number of organizations that either have moved or are now moving production systems into the cloud. Challenges remain of course, and among them is automation.
DevOps Still Very Much a Work in Progress
DevOps is a great concept — but many enterprises are still struggling to get out the starting gate with it. That’s the key takeaway from a recent survey of 2,045 IT managers and professionals, released by Quali, an IT automation solutions provider. While most people in enterprises would say at this point that they have DevOps underway in some shape or form, achieving agility is another story.
Businesses Know Digital Transformation is Coming, But Most Doubt Ability to Execute
More than 80 percent of business leaders agree that digital transformation will change their company’s operating model, but less than 40 percent have a strategy or the competencies needed to execute that transformation, resulting in a wide confidence gap, according to new research from The Hackett Group.
Enterprises are Sharing More Data Securely in the Cloud
A new report by Symantec on the state of enterprise cloud security shows that employees are sharing more data more securely through the cloud than ever before. On the other hand, the number of unsanctioned applications running on network cloud infrastructures, known as “shadow IT,” has also continued to rise.
Security Powers Digital Transformation
Digital Transformation is disrupting businesses in every industry and breaking down barriers between people, businesses and things. All of these are leading to increase in overall attack surface and businesses are becoming vulnerable to attack. Security is synonymous to innovation and growth as it drives trust and should be a fundamental part of every Digital Transformation Strategy. In order to secure the business, organizations need the following three critical capabilities: comprehensive threat intelligence, faster threat discovery, and highest security effectiveness.
All Things Mobile: Managing the Shift in the Enterprise
Are we there yet? We’ve been moving towards the mobile enterprise for years, and it seems like we are just about there. In 2017, millennials already represent a third of the U.S. workforce, data shows — and we all know how much they love their mobile devices. In a recent Gallup poll, 43 percent of employed Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely in 2016. And according to Cisco, by 2020, wireless and mobile device traffic will account for two-thirds of total global IP traffic.
Digital Transformation Facing Hurdles
Professionals across industries recognize the need for digital transformation, but gaps in organizational and technical infrastructure make it difficult for businesses to adequately address user needs. According to the Executing Digital Transformation study, conducted by PointSource, most organizations are aware of their shortcomings. After the survey of 300 decision makers in marketing, IT and operations, results indicate that businesses are struggling to make decisions with end users in mind.
How CIOs Cope When Mobile App Development Goes Rogue
As organizations rush to establish a coveted mobile presence, business units are developing and deploying apps on their own, and that means IT departments are facing a whole new era of shadow IT. In fact, research firm Gartner predicts that, by 2020, 70 percent of mobile apps used within the enterprise will be created or adopted without IT’s involvement.
2017: The Heart of Digital Transformation
A recent survey carried out by Ping Identity asked IT leaders a range of questions on this subject, including where firms stand on the road to ‘digital completion’ and the importance of customer identity and access management (CIAM). The State of Digital Transformation Survey unearthed some interesting and perhaps surprising statistics, including that just 33 percent of companies have fully implemented digital strategies, with most tending to be internally related as opposed to customer-focused.
