Page 9 - FCW, September 30, 2016

EN TE RP RISE
SPONSORED REPORT
OUTL K
Mobile Security
Mobile Management
from the Ground Up
The Knox security platform delivers mobile device security from the hardware up through the application layer.
Mobile computing has transformed the way government agencies work, much as it has in
other industries and indeed in daily life. Once used primarily for e-mail and Internet browsing, phones and tablets have become tools that agencies can’t live without.
Soldiers use handheld devices to communicate on the battlefield, agen- cies mobilize enterprise applications to far-flung employees, and law enforce- ment can tap into criminal databases from the field. Mobile phones and tablets have shown to increase worker productivity, improve satisfaction and help agencies to deliver new services more quickly.
The government spends about $1 billion on mobile devices and services
each year. However, as the popularity and importance of mobile devices grow, so too does the challenge for agencies as to how to best secure and manage those devices.
There are many technology and policy concerns associated with mobile security. What if a device
is lost or stolen? Can sensitive
data be accessed? How can an agency configure a device so that
it is trusted by the organization? Is there adequate separation between organizational data and personal data? How does an agency handle de-provisioning a device? Does a BYOD approach make sense for government?
These concerns continue to become more relevant as intrusion attempts increase. “The fact is,
we have bad actors attempting to
infiltrate networks and they are using mobile technology to do that,” says Johnny Overcast, director
of government sales at Samsung Electronics America. “That is why Samsung brings defense-grade secure mobile technology that protects against this.”
To counter these threats and protect sensitive data stored on and accessed with mobile devices, Samsung developed its Knox mobile security platform. The Knox platform is a multi- layer, hardware-based platform that is flexible and customizable.
Knox secures the device hardware and software, allows for software customization on the device based on the use case, and supports cloud and on-premises-based mobile management solutions. The Knox workspace lets agencies create separate environments called “containers” to isolate, encrypt, and protect work data and applications from attackers. Other management features simplify the process
of enrolling a large number of devices, allow employees to manage their own devices, and apply IT policies to separate accounts on the same device.
Samsung Knox secures all layers of the device, starting with the hardware from the moment the device is turned on up to the software at the application layer. It also encrypts data stored on the device’s SD card. Some other
Multi-layered Security
The Knox technology offers multi-layered security built into the device hardware and software. It constantly verifies the integrity of the device and detects any tampering. It’s built on a strong foundation:
• Samsung manufactures and configures its own devices. All critical security features are based on its device chipset, which is impervious to attack.
• When the device is booted up, if any unauthorized code changes to the kernel are detected the boot process can be blocked.
• Real time monitoring is used to detect any hacking or rooting on the device; if an unauthorized process is detected, user access is blocked and data is cryptographically secured.
• Knox has met various government certifications including the Common Criteria and FIPS 140-2 and is on the DOD approved product list.