When a company decides to mobilize, it often allows many of its central processes to be governed by remote devices apart from its central server. This often goes beyond basic email and contact lists and includes important corporate applications that, if compromised, could lead to devastating organizational consequences.

Yet, according to a Forrester Consulting report, commissioned by Entrust, 65 percent of enterprises are making implementation or improving of mobile security a high or critical priority. And 53 percent of enterprises are making support of internet-connected mobile devices and operating systems a high or critical priority.

The final post of this three-part series examines a software method that defends against employee negligence as well as third-party intrusion toward remote devices. It is called a secure container, and its popularity as a mobile security solution is growing at the enterprise level.

The Secure Container

Containerization involves the creation of a separate, secure data storage unit on a mobile device. What makes this solution so enticing is that it functions apart from the security measures of the operating system. Information in a secure container cannot be modified in any way without proper authorization. Therefore, even if mobile malware is on the device it could not access sensitive data that is stored inside.

Applications that are built for a secure container can function alongside ones constructed for private use, such as messaging and calendar systems. However, the two do not cross. If someone were to accidentally paste information from a secure container into a messaging system, the characters would not carry over – it functions with a separate protocol.

As an added benefit of a secure container, this type of mobile security system allows companies to access a device without intruding on the personal information of its employees. This type of service, which can be seen on examples such as the Samsung Knox and Blackberry Balance, is a novel approach for striking a balance between work and personal phone related activities.


“Mobility Helps Enterprises Enter a New Age,” Forrester Consulting (on behalf of Entrust), April 2013.

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