Summary: DUBAI - The advent of mobile technology comes hand-in-hand with potential risks and users must be vigilant in protecting themselves from such threats, a top official of Internet security firm SonicWALL said.
DUBAI - The advent of mobile technology comes hand-in-hand with potential risks and users must be vigilant in protecting themselves from such threats, a top official of Internet security firm SonicWALL said.
Organisations need to understand that there are and will be many rapid changes in the mobile platform, especially in smartphones, beyond the control of corporate IT, and that they have to be well-prepared to adapt to this, SonicWALL EMEA senior product marketing manager Florian Malecki told Khaleej Times in an interview.
"Smartphones are among the most important technological advancements of our time," he said.
However, Malecki adds, the proliferation of smartphones in corporate environments creates new and wider potential for data loss and leakage, whether by theft, or unauthorised access or transmission. "The burden of juggling support for multiple smartphone platforms can also take IT resources away from securing other aspects of the network," he said.
San Jose, California-based SonicWALL, quoting a study by Business Monitor International, said that UAE spending on IT products is expected to reach Dh12.85 billion this year and grow at a compounded annual growth rate of eight per cent from 2011 to 2015.
SonicWALL recently unveiled its next-generation firewall technologies to handle new threats that may arise. Excerpts from the interview:
What are the main securities issues being faced by mobile users? How can users shield themselves from these?
The consumerisation of IT has lead to the proliferation of personal smartphones used as corporate network end points. Enterprise mobility can then be defined when all employees can access the corporate network and resources from anywhere, at any time, from any type of devices and in a very secure environment. It is relevant when business partners can access some specific resources relevant to them.
Determined professionals can ultimately undermine even 'unhackable' smart phone platforms. Smart phones may also retain sensitive or proprietary data while connected to the corporate wireless network, and then leak it over unsecured cellular to the Web, and IT has no recourse.
According to one study by IDC, people downloaded 10.9 billion mobile apps in 2010 (a figure it thinks will increase to nearly 76.9 billion by 2014), each a potential threat to corporate security. Unsurprisingly, malware authors are already exploiting weaknesses in the open app store model, attracted by the increasingly fertile ground for mischief that it represents. As the number of smart mobile devices grows, McAfee expects cybercriminals to use botnet infections to target mobile devices, as well as more traditional targets such as PCs and laptops.
How long has SonicWALL been in the UAE and the region? What are your expansion plans and strategies to widen your reach?
SonicWALL started in the UAE in 2004 and a legal entity was set up two years later in 2006. We have a strong team based out of our Dubai office managing the region together with sales people in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
SonicWALL main focus areas for the region include strengthening its small and medium business market leadership position by enabling its existing partners and recruiting new partners, and to continue to develop its market shares in the enterprise market with our direct touch sales force and partnering with strong System Integrators in the region. Products like the recently launched SonicWALL SuperMassive Series, E-Class NSA, E-Class Aventail SSL VPN and E-Class E-mail security are meeting the network security requirements of the enterprise customers in the region.
What is your general impression on the overall business situation in the UAE?
The UAE is a key market for SonicWALL. This is where we started. Indeed, we saw a small dip in the first part of 2009, but then, the market picked up and we have enjoyed some good growth. We have some very good new customers acquisitions combined with a very loyal installed base, which has been upgrading their old solutions to the new SonicWALL products. After the first quarter of 2011, indicators are in the green for SonicWALL and we are expecting another good year 
of growth.
alvin@khaleejtimes.com
Copyright 2011 Khaleej Times. All Rights Reserved.
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