With most companies around the world taking the workplace online, cybersecurity has become paramount amid the COVID 19 pandemic. Companies around the world, large and small, have witnessed a steep rise in cyberattacks (which has led to companies like Microsoft coming up with new solutions), and while those with big pockets can develop their own security solutions, smaller endeavours do not have the same liberty. To solve this issue, Google has announced a new tool to help small companies handle the complicated (and often expensive) task of ensuring cybersecurity, called Android Enterprise Essentials.
The company defines this tool as “a secure mobile management service built by the Android team to make it easy to protect your business devices and data.”
Not many companies have the expertise that Google has when it comes to cybersecurity. The tech giant has gained massive experience from its work with large enterprises, and learned that every security tool needs a few basic features. These include Requiring a lock screen and encryption on devices to prevent unauthorized access to company data, Enforcing mandatory malware protection by ensuring Google Play Protect is always on and employees can’t download apps outside of the Google Play Store, and Providing the ability to wipe all company data from a device in case it’s lost or stolen.
In Android Enterprise Essentials, all these features are applied automatically, which means that small companies do not have to spend large sums of capital to configure the right setup from scratch. They can just “purchase devices and ship or hand them off to employees with persistent policies already in place,” as Google puts it.
The company also adds that while the tool has been prepared with small and medium businesses in mind, it can easily be expanded to larger organizations that want to extend core protections to devices which may not need advanced device management.
“Businesses are increasingly telling us their top considerations for investment are security and increased user productivity,” said Mark Bowker, Senior Analyst with the Enterprise Strategy Group. “During ESG’s validation of Android Enterprise Essentials, it became quickly evident that the simple management capabilities and seamless employee experience provide confidence in security for businesses and a safer work environment for employees.”
The company says that it plans to make Essentials available through additional resellers as it prepares to take this service global starting early next year.
