Close
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Menu
Search
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    IBM Lauds Apple iOS 9 Security

    By
    Darryl K. Taft
    -
    September 15, 2015
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      IBM, which has been an enterprise mobility partner with Apple for more than a year, is praising Apple’s move to six-digit passcodes in its new iOS 9 operating system.

      When iOS 9 becomes publicly available on Sept. 16, iDevices will default to six-digit passcodes instead of four. With the addition of two digits, iDevices will instantly become tougher for hackers to crack by increasing the possible number of passcode combinations to one million, up from the previous 10,000, said Caleb Barlow, vice president of mobile management and security at IBM.

      Not only does the move to six-digit passcodes make it harder for hackers to tap into corporate data on BYOD devices, it is also a big step forward in helping organizations to beef up their BYOD policies, he said.

      In a post on IBM’s Security Intelligence blog, Barlow said IBM research into one million BYOD and corporate-issued devices showed that nearly 90 percent of companies only require simple, numeric PINs. And of these companies, almost 80 percent enforce only the most basic option to protect the data on their phones, a four- to five-digit PIN which, according to the iOS Hackers’ Handbook, can be cracked as quickly as 18 minutes, he added.

      In light of these findings, Apple’s security updates to iOS 9 represent a step in the right direction and provide employers an opportunity to strengthen their current BYOD policies immediately. Barlow called Apple’s move, “two small steps for users but one giant leap forward for mobile security as a whole.” He added that “This bold move by Apple serves as an opportunity—and a wakeup call—for companies to refresh and strengthen their own current bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies.”

      Barlow noted that another IBM study found that nearly 40 percent of companies, including many in the Fortune 500, are not properly securing the mobile apps they build for customers. And 67 percent of companies allow employees to download un-vetted apps to their work devices.

      However, “While Apple’s latest security update is a well-timed win in the fight against increasingly organized and resourceful cybercriminals, in order for mobile security improvements to be accomplished at an industry level, companies must also continue to be mindful of the very reason BYOD has become a global phenomenon: user convenience,” Barlow said.

      Moreover, he called Apple’s new six-digit default “a perfect example” of how to help users better protect personal and corporate data while still maintaining the ease of use they crave through touch authentication.

      Yet, there’s much more to be done, said Barlow. “Passcodes are simply the user’s first line of defense and remain only one piece of the puzzle,” he said. “Security teams should use this moment to further rally around mobile security initiatives, such as stronger authentication of the data and apps that reside on the device, which will help us protect ourselves against rising threats in simple yet effective ways.”

      Meanwhile, companies that are implementing strong mobile device security should allow employees to use biometric authentication to ensure mobile devices remain convenient and secure, Barlow said. They also should consider additional options to secure corporate data on mobile devices, including linking to an overall corporate identity management system or considering two-factor authentication.

      The IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps are built exclusively for iOS devices and are delivered in a secure environment, embedded with analytics and linked to core enterprise processes. The apps can be customized and are deployed, managed and upgraded via cloud services from IBM specifically for iOS devices, with security across the data, app and device.

      “The MobileFirst for iOS apps IBM announced today give some real shape to the company’s partnership with Apple which I think may have confused some folks when it was first announced,” said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. “These offerings show IBM moving ahead in an orderly fashion, industry-by-industry, in tackling specific challenges and adding value to core business processes through the application of advanced analytics.”

      Avatar
      Darryl K. Taft
      Darryl K. Taft covers the development tools and developer-related issues beat from his office in Baltimore. He has more than 10 years of experience in the business and is always looking for the next scoop. Taft is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and was named 'one of the most active middleware reporters in the world' by The Middleware Co. He also has his own card in the 'Who's Who in Enterprise Java' deck.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      How NVIDIA A100 Station Brings Data Center...

      Zeus Kerravala - November 18, 2020 0
      There’s little debate that graphics processor unit manufacturer NVIDIA is the de facto standard when it comes to providing silicon to power machine learning...
      Read more
      Apple

      Why iPhone 12 Pro Makes Sense for...

      Wayne Rash - November 26, 2020 0
      If you’ve been watching the Apple commercials for the past three weeks, you already know what the company thinks will happen if you buy...
      Read more
      eWeek


      Contact Us | About | Sitemap

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      Terms of Service | Privacy Notice | Advertise | California - Do Not Sell My Information

      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×