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REPORT

Managing and Securing the Expanding Mobile Enterprise

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Challenges Facing Enterprise Mobility and Security Teams

Chapter 1

Growing Cybersecurity Threats

Chapter 2

Increasing Device Sprawl and Complexity

Chapter 3

Shrinking IT Teams

Chapter 4

Imperative to Drive Productivity and Reduce Costs

This IDC InfoBrief provides IT and mobility leaders with the latest industry data on trends around mobile device usage, management, security, and the potential threat mobile devices can pose to corporate compliance and data security. It includes IDC primary research surveys, industry market data, and information gathered from interviews with IT/mobility professionals and other resources. At the conclusion there is a mobility decision-maker’s “playbook,” which includes five key takeaways based on IDC research and data, as well as five critical areas of caution for mobility professionals to consider.

Chapter 1

Growing Cybersecurity Threats

Managing Mobile Devices and Mobile Data What’s at Stake?

What endpoint systems were involved?

Windows PC

0 %

Mobile Devices
(Android/iOS/Windows tablets)

0 %

Windows Servers

0 %

Linux

0 %

MacOS

0 %

Which of the following occurred?

Valuable sensitive or secret data was exfiltrated
Public or confidential data that was not considered valuable was exfiltrated

Data was not exfiltrated

Don’t know

Source: IDC’s Worldwide Future Enterprise Resiliency and Spending Survey, Wave 6, June 2024

Frequency Of Breaches Among Enterprises

Mobility Can Introduce More Risk

Some of the most valuable, sensitive, and protected data in an enterprise is accessed and stored on smartphones.

How often does your organization experience the following types of mobile security incidents?
(Percentage of respondents who answered “Frequently” or “Very Frequently”)

SIM Security

0 %

SIM-swapping/jacking incidents or misuse of corporate mobile phone numbers

WI-FI Threats

0 %
Wi-Fi-based mobile device attacks (arising from connecting to malicious/spoofed Wi-Fi apps, man-in-the-middle attacks, etc.)

Data Security

0 %
Physically lost or stolen devices with sensitive data

Phishing Threats

0 %
Mobile phishing (e.g., malicious/ deceptive URLs embedded in mobile emails or SMS/texts)

Data Exposure

0 %
Leaked or exposed sensitive data resulting from mobile app usage

Source: IDC’s U.S. Enterprise Endpoint Management Survey, 2024

0 %
of enterprises agree that

the use of mobile technology by employees poses a serious risk to corporate data security in my organization.

Mobile Device Management Isn’t Security

Most enterprises only check three out of four boxes when completing endpoint management and security.

95%
PC management software

70%
Mobile device management

98%
PC antimalware

35%
Mobile threat management

Mobile Threat Defense

0 %

Enterprises with
mobile threat defense deployed

0 %

Average of devices with
mobile threat defense installed

Source: IDC’s U.S. Enterprise Endpoint Management Survey, 2024

Chapter 2

Increasing Device Sprawl and Complexity

Threats Multiply as Devices Proliferate

2-3 devices per worker with multiple SIMs per user, is the new normal

How many endpoint devices do end users in your organization typically use day to day?

0 %

1 device

0 %

2 device

0 %

3 device

0 %
+4 device

Source: IDC’s U.S. Enterprise Endpoint Management Survey, 2024

In addition to multiple devices, multi‑SIM requires increased management.

In 2024, more than 50%
of shipped mobile devices were eSIM-enabled
(e.g., accommodated more than one SIM).

Multiple Device Management
Tools Add Complexity

Outsourcing mobility management platforms as a service can help
reduce management sprawl and better secure corporate smartphones.

Why does your organization use multiple endpoint management tools?

Tool Synergy

0 %
We use multiple tools in combination with features that augment or compliment each other.

Tool Preference

0 %
Different teams or individuals in the IT organization prefer their own specific tools.

Device Usage

0 %

Various business units or organizational groups use different products for specific device use cases.

Device Solutions

0 %
We use different products for specific device types.

Tool Consolidation

0 %
Separate tools have been accumulated over time from acquisitions and merging of teams.

Source: IDC’s U.S. Enterprise Endpoint Management Survey, 2024

0 %

of enterprises have multiple device management tools (three different tools on average).

Managed Devices Are Considered More Secure, But Fewer Than Half of Corporate Smartphones Are MDM-Enrolled

While fewer than half of business smartphones are managed, fewer than 35% have on-device security, exposing devices and data to cyber-risks.

Percentage of devices managed (on average)
100 %

Apple iOS

0 %

Android

100 %
0 %

Chrome OS

100 %
0 %
Mobile device management or unified endpoint management (UEM) software
No device management software platform

Source: IDC’s U.S. Enterprise Endpoint Management Survey, 2024

0 %

of IT security/ops professionals view corporate-liable devices as more secure than BYOD.

Chapter 3

Shrinking IT Teams

Device Setup and Provisioning Is Too Manual and Often Left to End Users

What tools or methods do you use to set up and provision mobile devices?

0 %
0 %
0 %
0 %
0 %

Apple iPhones

0 %
0 %
0 %
0 %
0 %
Apple iPads
0 %
0 %
0 %
0 %
0 %

Android Smartphones

0 %
0 %
0 %
0 %
0 %
Android Tablet

Manual setup by end user

Manual setup by corporate IT

Automated setup via Apple Business Manager

Automated setup/Android Enterprise Zero Touch

Automated setup/Samsung Knox Mobile Enrollment

Source: IDC’s U.S. Enterprise Endpoint Management Survey, 2024

While nearly half of firms have more than four management tools, manual processes abound.

A Future with Fewer IT Operations and System Administrator Roles Overseeing Mobility Programs

Worldwide IT Ops/Sys Admin
Roles Total Devices
2023-2028

Worldwide xOps
Roles Forecast
2023-2028

Source: IDC’s Worldwide xOps Forecast 2023–2028; IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker; IDC’s Worldwide PCD Tracker
0 %

Laptops

0 %
Mobile Devices

Worldwide Business Endpoint Growth by Category
(2023-2028 CAGR)

A Future with Fewer IT Operations and System Administrator Roles Overseeing Mobility Programs

Ability to apply single security and management policies across multiple device types

0 %

Consolidated mobility and PC management IT staff for greater operational efficiency

0 %

Analytics and data gathered from UEM platforms that improve employee productivity and business operations efficiency

0 %

Reduced number of separate software platforms

0 %

Increased end-user experience and satisfaction with enterprise devices and software (PC and mobile)

0 %

Streamlining of new employee onboarding for device provisioning

0 %

Unified/single system for device/IT asset tracking

0 %

Unified Endpoint Management Is the Gold Standard for Simplification,
But It Shouldn’t Act Alone

Unified Endpoint
Management

0 %
Of U.S. Firms
Have Deployed UEM

The Top 3 Most Critical
IT Platforms to Integrate with UEM

0 %
Identity
Systems
0 %
IT Asset
Management
0 %
Endpoint
Security Tools

Source: IDC’s U.S. Enterprise Endpoint Management Survey, 2024

Better Together:

IT asset management is
among the top 3 platforms
for integration with UEM tools.

Chapter 4

Imperative to Drive Productivity and Reduce Costs

A Preparedness Playbook for Mobility Leaders

1

Converge and consolidate all endpoint device management across fewer platforms (i.e., UEM).

2

Identify critical mobile device use cases for increased management, security, and compliance monitoring.

3

Pilot and implement AI-based tools to streamline and improve automation of endpoint device management.

4

Anticipate a future of smaller, leaner IT operations team with fewer system administrators.

5

Look to partner with service and technology providers who can help secure and extend the device fleet life cycle while offloading administrative burden and helping to cut costs.

Five Critical Areas of Caution
Every Mobility Leader Should Consider

Source: IDC’s U.S. Enterprise Endpoint Management Survey, 2024

As breach threats, mobile devices are as dangerous as PCs:

It is a myth that mobile endpoints are more “inherently secure” than PCs. Unmanaged unsecured mobile device usage can lead to costly security breaches.

Management ≠ security:

UEM alone isn’t enough to secure managed enterprise endpoints. Most organizations do not check the “fourth box” of on-device mobile security.

Device trust is key:

Refurbished devices, such as personal BYOD smartphones, can open enterprises to unnecessary security risks (e.g., unwiped/ compromised SIM cards).

Simplifying and consolidating improve mobile security:

Device management tool sprawl can leave gaps in proper endpoint configuration and security.

It’s dangerous to go it alone:

It’s important to find trusted technology partners and providers that understand mobile security and management and can help fill the unseen gaps in your mobile enterprise infrastructure.
IDC

Managing and Securing
the Expanding Mobile Enterprise

Download REPORT