Fiberlink Data Suggests Simple Passcodes Rule the Mobile Security Landscape

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Fiberlink^®, the leader in cloud-based enterprise mobility management (EMM), has released data that shows 85 percent of enterprise users have a passcode automatically enforced on their smartphone or tablet, and 93 percent of those users are employing the most basic passcode type. The data could suggest that IT is looking to find a balance between securing corporate data and allowing greater device usability for employees.

A random sampling¹ of 1,000 of Fiberlink's 5,000 customers found that simple passcodes are allowed by IT on the majority of devices:

• 15 percent of all devices sampled do not have a passcode automatically enforced via a security policy, while 85 percent do.
• When a passcode is enforced, a simple PIN (just numbers or letters) is the most popular type to the tune of 93 percent. Among devices with PINs, 73 percent require a length of 4-5 characters, while 27 percent require greater than 5 characters.
• A complex or alphanumeric passcode is enforced on just 7 percent of devices.

Simple passcodes make accessing personal applications easier. Alternatively, instituting a containerized solution gives employees easy access to personal data by separating it from corporate data. This helps eliminate the need to enforce overly complex passcodes for basic functionality like phone calls, texting, tweeting, and Facebook status updates.

With containerization, sensitive business information is kept in a trusted workplace on the device. This means corporate email, applications, and documents are separated from everything else, and employees are free to use personal device functionality and data without risk to enterprise data. These containers are then secured with more advanced or complex passcodes and even passwords which authenticate against a corporation's Active Directory. This approach allows for context- and content-based security where it is needed most: accessing corporate information.

"We believe this data shows that enterprise IT understands the notion of protecting sensitive corporate data without limiting usability for employees," said Jonathan Dale, Director of Marketing at Fiberlink. "The acceptance of simple passcodes is an indication that the enterprise is welcoming the balance between security for security's sake and solutions that are easy for users to live with. Containerization and smart EMM solutions are the future of security in the BYOD era."

More information and an infographic about passcodes in the enterprise are available on the Fiberlink blog.

About MaaS360
MaaS360 by Fiberlink is the trusted enterprise mobility management solution to more than 5,000 customers worldwide -- from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses. We make working in the mobile era simple and safe by delivering comprehensive security and management for applications, documents, email, and devices.  Instantly accessible from the web, MaaS360 is easy to use and maintain, and provides the flexibility organizations need to fully embrace mobility in every aspect of their businesses. Backed by the most responsive support in the industry, we put our customers first by providing them with the best user experience for IT and employees. To learn more go to http://www.maas360.com. 

© 2013 MaaS360 and the MaaS360 logo are trademarks of Fiberlink Communications and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. All other brand names are trademarks of their respective partners.

¹ The sampling includes data from 200,000 smartphones and tablets under management, including BYOD and corporate-issued devices.

SOURCE Fiberlink