Blue Coat closes the mobile app security gap

Blue Coat Systems, Inc., a market and technology leader of web security and WAN optimisation solutions, today introduced mobile application controls that close the security gap created by unsanctioned mobile applications on the corporate network. As employees increasingly bring their own mobile devices to work, the mobile app security gap has widened. With its mobile application controls, Blue Coat uniquely gives IT the ability to manage the use of unsanctioned applications and consistently enforce policies across all devices on the network.

The growth in BYOD initiatives has driven an increase in mobile devices and unmanaged, untrusted applications on the corporate network. According to Forrester Research, Inc., 57 percent of employees chose and purchased their own smartphone without any direction or guidance from their company.[1] According to mobile application measurement company Flurry, each smartphone has, on average, 65 mobile apps installed. With 350 million employees expected to use smartphones at work by 2016, the number of mobile applications using the corporate network will continue to skyrocket.[2]

The increase in mobile devices on the corporate network creates two distinct risks that lead to undesirable or unpredictable network impacts. First, it contributes to the growing problem of unsanctioned applications on the corporate network. Second, corporate policies are not consistently enforced across all devices.

Like web-based applications, the use of mobile applications is dramatically eroding IT control of the network. Unlike browser-based web applications, however, mobile applications and their corresponding operations are typically self-contained and fall outside the control of traditional web security solutions.

To prevent unauthorised or undesired use of the corporate network, Blue Coat mobile application controls uniquely extend to mobile applications the same granular operational controls the company provides for web-based applications. With these operational controls, businesses can set policies around specific functions within both web-based and mobile applications. This enables businesses to consistently enforce policy across all devices and allows them to regain control over the applications on their network.

For example, a business that wants to mitigate unintentional leaks of confidential or secure location information could set a policy for Twitter that prevents employees from sending tweets but allows full reading or monitoring access. Blue Coat mobile application controls extend that web-based application policy to the Twitter mobile application, allowing read-only access across all devices on the network.

“The growth of BYOD initiatives has created a situation where IT security managers are facing a deluge of untrusted, unmanaged devices and applications on the corporate network,” said Greg Singh, Systems Engineering Manager, Blue Coat Australia and New Zealand. “Blue Coat mobile application controls give administrators the ability, for the first time, to not only determine which applications are allowed on the network but also to what extent mobile device users are able to interact with those applications.”

The new mobile application controls are integrated into the Blue Coat ProxySG appliances and the Blue Coat Cloud Service. Blue Coat adds new applications and operations to its mobile application controls on a monthly basis to continually enhance the value delivered to customers and ensure they have the most relevant controls to manage the applications on their network. The mobile application controls are automatically updated through the Blue Coat WebPulse™ collaborative defense and immediately available to customers with current support contracts. View a full list of supported mobile applications here.

About Blue Coat Systems

Blue Coat Systems provides Web security and WAN optimization solutions to 85 percent of FORTUNE Global 500 companies. As the market share leader in the secure web gateway market, Blue Coat sets the standard for enterprise security. Its solutions provide the visibility, protection and control required to optimize and secure the flow of information to any user, on any network, anywhere. For additional information, please visit www.bluecoat.com.

# # #

Blue Coat, ProxySG, WebPulse and the Blue Coat logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Blue Coat Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.