by Dan Moren
Apple’s “lack” of enterprise security is anything but
This rather terrible CIO story’s headline is “Most Apple devices lack proper security for the enterprise” and its even more “damning” sub-headline is:
Apple’s Macs, iPhones and iPads are common in the modern workplace, but relatively few of these devices comply with standard security requirements, according to a new survey.
But the article itself paints a different picture:
More than half, or 51 percent, of all the users’ Apple devices were secured by single-word passwords or numerical PINs, and 58 percent of those devices had no software or policies to enforce the use of stronger passwords. The survey also found that 56 percent of Apple device users shared their passwords with others, and only 17 percent had company-supplied password managers.
In addition, only 28 percent of respondents’ Apple devices had company-provided device management solutions, and 35 percent of the people work for companies that enforce data encryption on Apple devices. Almost 60 percent of the Macs represented in the survey were used to access confidential company information, and 65 percent of those systems were used to access sensitive or regulated customer information, according to the survey.
So, it’s not that Apple devices don’t comply with the security features, it’s that those companies’ IT department don’t enforce the offered security properly or at all. Which is a bit like calling a car unsafe because you choose not to use the brakes.
Apple used to get a lot of flack for not being business-oriented, but it’s pretty hard to argue that they’re not a major player in enterprise these days, especially given the deal Apple struck with IBM last year.
So it’s always wise to ask yourself: where, exactly, do these stories come from?
Nearly half of all U.S. employees use at least one Apple device at work, but most of those gadgets lack common security protocols required by many enterprises, according to a new survey commissioned by Centrify, a company that sells enterprise security and management software for Apple products. [emphasis added]
Shocker.