10 Mobile Security Questions Brokers Should Be Asking

Did you know that nearly half of mobile apps on any given device have at least one major security vulnerability that threatens sensitive data? This is dangerous for real estate professionals who handle sensitive client information every day--often accessing this data from cloud-based solutions on mobile devices like smartphones or tablets.

It's not just the devices themselves that expose this information to exposure--more often, it's user activity and behavior. A study by mobile security company NowSecure revealed that:

• 43% of smartphones don't have a password, PIN or pattern lock
• 50% connect to unsecured WiFi at least once a month
• 48% of mobile apps on any given device have at least one major security vulnerability that either leaks sensitive data or allows unauthorized access to sensitive data

Brokers looking to protect their data from exposure can start by training agents on mobile security best practices, how to minimize the risks of public Wi-Fi, combating mobile malware. In addition, brokers can ask the following 10 questions, suggested by the security experts at NowSecure, to assess the risk to their data:

1. Do the apps that you've purchased or developed follow best practices for security?

2. Do you have visibility into the security of the mobile devices impacting your organization?

3. Is mobile security testing part of your app's development?

4. How secure are the third-party mobile applications on devices with access to client data?

5. Are your staff and agents trained on mobile security best practices?

6. Do you have any restrictions in place regarding the types of data that may be accessed by staff and agents using their personal mobile devices?

7. Does your brokerage have a comprehensive mobile incident response strategy in place?

8. Does your mobile security strategy address the unique challenges of the technology, or is it really just a repurposing of your traditional computing security solution?

9. How do you keep up to date with of the latest known mobile security vulnerabilities?

10. What criteria and analytics do you use to perform quantitative mobile risk assessment evaluations?

Next: Browse a list of mobile apps available to brokers, or read more articles about Mobile Technology.