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Central Government, Policy

Mobile workforce poses cybersecurity threat: expert

By Robin Hicks | 15 June 2009

Governments need to develop strategies to bolster cyber security as their workforces become more mobile, an information security expert has urged.

Asian governments need to educate public sector work forces on the risks posed by “the consumerisation of IT” - the rise of personal technology use among civil servants, Vic Mankotia, Vice President, Sales & Services, Asia Pacific & Japan, Symantec, told FutureGov.

“Data in motion is the next big threat to government information security,” said Mankotia. “Government agencies struggle to control what technology their staff use. Could the USB turn out to be the most dangerous device ever invented? Convenience has come with a price.”

Mankotia added that the problem could get worse as more technologies go wireless. “Technology has helped to secure citizen information. But what about the transfer of information between government departments? It is very difficult to monitor.”

Mankotia called for new legislation to control wireless format security. “We need to think more carefully about the mobile workforce. Nobody’s talking about mobile policy yet. Governments and companies are recommending the use of BlackBerrys, not thinking that people are carrying iPhones and Nokia handsets too.”

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