Government IT: Mobile Device Management is Device Security

Sixty-nine percent of government IT professionals believe that mobile device management (MDM) is about the security of mobile devices, according to a report by the Lockheed Martin Corporation Cyber Security Alliance. The study summarizes how IT professionals in government are facing an increasingly complex landscape of rapidly changing technology, political directives that affect priorities, constrained resources, and escalating cyber threats.

The challenges of emerging technologies are not an excuse to adapt. In fact, the report concludes that emerging technology benefits outweigh the challenges. With that being said, do government IT professionals need to adopt cloud computing, implement mobile technologies, or start on big data
projects? The study says, yes.

What should managed services providers (MSPs) take away from the survey?

• Around 37 percent of government IT professionals believe that they “know quite a bit” about cloud computing.
• Some 39 percent of government IT professionals see mobile computing as a high priority.
• Cyber security is viewed as a high priority by 85 percent of the respondents.
• 70 percent have one or more mobile computing initiatives in progress.
• Malware is the most prolific threat, identified by 59 percent of surveyed government IT professionals.
• Some 44 percent of all study participants believe they are well prepared for mobile threats.

The study surveyed 203 participants from in-depth telephone interviews, as well as an online survey among decision makers and influencers of IT security solutions and services. Participants represent all branches of the federal government and military services, a few intelligence agencies, and some state and local government agencies. To learn more about Lockheed Martin, a global security and aeronautics company with more than 300 partnerships in 75 countries, visit the company’s website.