In some cases, that feeling of helplessness is real, particularly if you’re working for a smaller business that doesn’t have a formal security role or a dedicated team to assess and mitigate potential risks.

However, fending off potential security issues is especially important for these small and midsize firms. Given that their employees tend to juggle multiple responsibilities, they rely on mobile devices to go wherever they’re needed while staying connected to corporate data and applications.

Here are 10 ways your organization can remain proactive in its approach to mobile security and management.

1. Make upgrading a priority

According to the most recent NPD Connected Intelligence Mobile Connectivity Report, the average upgrade cycle for smartphones in the U.S. is 32 months — nearly three years. That reflects how often consumers make the move to a new device, and it’s up from 25 months the year before.

That kind of cadence might be fine for people who are only using their devices for personal apps and content, but businesses need to approach upgrade decisions differently. Security researchers learn a lot about the changing tactics of malware authors, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attackers and ransomware campaigns in a three-year period. So do device manufacturers, who are building in protections that specifically address common attack vectors as networks evolve to 5G.

In BYOD environments, it’s critical to set minimum requirements for the devices that are allowed to access corporate systems and apps. Beyond three years from initial release, many devices stop receiving regular OS updates and security patches, making them more vulnerable to new exploits.

If you’re dealing with constrained IT resources, you have to determine the tradeoff between trying to figure out a mobile security strategy on your own and simply making use of what is already market-ready and available to businesses.

2. Make MDM a mainstay

Companies have always made sure they could keep track of the equipment they’ve purchased, but there’s a difference between monitoring what happens on an oil rig that never moves and a fleet of smartphones that have been deployed to on-the-go employees.

While mobile device management (MDM) has been adopted by most enterprises, smaller firms have plenty of reasons to explore it as well. MDM tools can be helpful to companies that offer a bring your own device (BYOD) program but want to make sure employee devices don’t open them up to security threats.

While choosing an MDM solution will take some research, midsize firms can get a head start by making sure the devices they deploy or recommend to employees incorporate security capabilities from the chip up.

3. Whitelisting and blocklisting

Many security threats penetrate companies due to user errors which are often just honest mistakes. Employees might not realize by downloading an app, for instance, that they are effectively leaving the door open to have corporate data stolen from their smartphone.

Whitelisting and blocklisting apps via MDM helps protect employees — and their employers — from these kinds of risks by making it clear which apps and sites are safe.

Blocklists give IT departments peace of mind by blocking access to certain apps and sending notifications when an attempt is made. Whitelists, on the other hand, may be more effective for highlighting the mobile tools employees should be prioritizing over games and social media.

4. Two-factor authentication and biometrics

Weak and easily forgotten passwords can make it simple for rogue third parties to gain access to mobile devices. Two-factor authentication is a straightforward way for small and midsized businesses to begin developing a layered mobile security strategy.

While tokens have sometimes been used as part of two-factor authentication, fingerprints and other biometric identifiers are quickly gaining ground. In fact, 70 percent of businesses will use biometrics for workforce access by 2022, according to market research firm Gartner. Biometrics can be used in tandem with the data separation technologies discussed below.

5. Get comfortable with customization

When new hires are brought on board, they usually aren’t given keys to every filing cabinet, the company’s banking credentials or other proprietary data that require a certain level of seniority or privilege. In the same way, it doesn’t make sense to grant every employee unfettered access to all manner of corporate apps and data.

IT managers can get around this with tools that let them customize mobile devices before they are handed out to their workforce. A good example is Samsung’s Knox Configure, which enables businesses to create a myriad of simple-use scenarios, from customizing boot-up screens to creating dedicated-use devices with only work-related apps.

6. Separate work and play

Even if they don’t have a dedicated desk with their own drawers, companies often offer employees a safe place of some kind where they can place personal items and secure them until they’re needed at the end of the day. Strong mobile security involves taking a very similar approach to the way data and apps are partitioned on the device.

Containerization, for example, allows smartphones to create separate workspaces of business apps and content that can be centrally protected and managed. Administrators don’t need access to an employee’s personal apps or data and can therefore provide the optimum mix of flexibility and security. This lets IT departments lock down sensitive company information, while letting employees maintain confidence in their personal privacy.

7. Ease the updating process

Just as new security threats are constantly cropping up, companies are simultaneously developing fixes that can be applied to mobile devices. Unfortunately, that often puts the burden on a company’s IT resources (which can be scarce or spread thin in midsized firms) to apply all the right patches on a regular basis. According to IDG’s 2019 Security Priorities Study, patch management is still one of the most widely used methods for large enterprises to combat security threats, and smaller firms should do the same.

Technologies such as electronic firmware over-the-air (E-FOTA) mean employees don’t have to wait while patches or other updates are being pushed to their devices. Instead, updates can be scheduled across the entire team, ensuring all updates are tested and compatible, and all devices are uniform.

8. Keep policies current

If employees fall victim to a phishing scheme and get locked out of their devices, or data loss occurs because settings were somehow tampered with, a company will probably be quick to outline an updated mobile security policy for everyone to follow.

Rather than wait until disaster strikes, however, the most successful organizations stay on top of security issues and get in front of them from a policy perspective. At least every six months, review your mobile security posture, from your ability to monitor device usage, points of vulnerability and the age of your smartphone fleet.

Then, look forward to new devices that might be integrated into your workforce as part of new hire onboarding or upgrades across a department. Make sure updated policies are well documented. Of course, make sure employees are held accountable for reviewing and adhering to the policy as well.

9. User training and security awareness

The IDG study showed that almost a third of those surveyed, or 31 percent, cited employee training as one of the top areas where they fall short. “This speaks to the perpetual problem of employees as a security risk,” the authors wrote.

Training and security awareness is never a once-and-done activity, but something that should be treated as an ongoing work in progress. The companies that do this successfully make sure the content is easy to understand and available through different channels depending on their preference. Examples could include tips in an employee newsletter, an instructional video on a company intranet or even push notifications sent to all employee smartphones.

10. Seek a scaleable path

A small company might not be small forever. Growth can come quickly via a strategic initiative to expand into a new market or territory, an M&A or some other tipping point. What won’t change is the need for your workforce to be equipped with the best tools available to do their jobs from wherever they are.

Of course, configuring and provisioning devices one by one is a nonstarter for IT departments, so think about how you can find an MDM tool or related application that will streamline this process as the organization evolves.

Fortunately, none of the Android mobile security tips outlined here have to be developed from scratch. Solutions such as Knox Manage and Knox Configure were deliberately designed to help organizations from small firms to large enterprises with the ability to secure, manage and provision smartphones successfully.

The first ever Good Lock application, released in 2016 and compatible with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, introduced users to a frequently-updated array of customizable features for their Galaxy devices. Responding to consumer demand, Samsung has now released Good Lock 2018 to give Android 8.0 Oreo users the freedom to personalize their Galaxy device’s appearance and interface experience.

With so many options to choose from, check out the Newsroom’s guide to the features of Good Lock 2018 below.

Love Your Lock Screen

Lockstar is changing how you see your locked phone, allowing you to style your lock screen with a wide range of designs. You can select your preferred background and clock face, as well as which items appear visible on the screen, and these features can be arranged in a variety of configurations. The app also gives you the flexibility to choose the gesture which prompts the phone to unlock and to place shortcuts to apps you use regularly on the lock screen, so the phone will open straight to them after unlocking.

Customize Your Quick Panel

Use Quickstar to give your Quick Panel a makeover. With the Coloring tab, you can choose from a list of recommendations or create your own palette by adjusting the hues which mark On or Off for each setting, the color and transparency of the background, and the Blur and Dim effects. The Simple Indicator tab also gives you increased control over the icons displayed in your Status Bar and the Notification Multi-Window tab allows you to toggle the Notification Multi-Window on and off. With the Notification Multi-Window enabled, you can check the necessary information more conveniently on the pop-up window.

Change Tasks in Style

The Task Changer app allows you to scroll through recent apps by swiping left and right, rather than up and down, changing the way you move from task to task. There is a choice of Scroll effects and the opportunity to turn on Mini Mode, which shrinks the apps in the bottom of the screen to aid one-handed scrolling.

Once Task Changer is enabled, you can pull up the Recently Used Apps and choose to either use the app as a pop-up screen, or split view two apps by holding down the app you would like to use a little harder. Once task changer is enabled, you can also receive more information about the app, lock the app, or hide the app’s contents by tapping the icon image on the top.

Establish a Routine

Using Routines, you can combine processes and functions to create new features. Give each routine a name before selecting the conditions that will prompt the routine and the actions that you want it to perform. To ensure the perfect movie-watching environment, for example, you can set a routine that turns on Wi-Fi, rotates your screen to landscape and adjusts your sound and brightness levels, as soon as you open your chosen media app.

Choose Your Clock

Read the time in a whole new way with ClockFace, an app which allows you to choose from numerous clock designs for your always on display and lock screen. Choices include analog or digital clock faces and there is a spectrum of colors available, including tones which adapt with the color of the background and rainbow effects.

Become Part of the Family

Good Lock 2018 is one member of a family of apps designed to heighten customization on your Galaxy smartphone. For example, EdgeLighting + allows you to tailor Edge Lighting effects to your liking. With Edge Touch, you can establish Edge Zones which do not recognize screen touch to prevent accidental actions. Further adjustable options are offered with One Hand Operation +, designed to help you navigate your device one-handed, with thumb gestures alone. Finally, Sound Assistant gives you even greater control over Sound settings, including the ability to personalize your phone’s sound for different times and manage individual app volume.

EdgeLighting+ (left), Edge Touch (center) and One Hand Operation+ (right)

1. Customizable App Shortcuts on Lock Screen

When the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are locked, two apps can be placed in the lower corners for easy access. Choose the apps you use the most—whether the camera, phone, photo gallery, S Health or even third-party apps—and the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge can provide you with faster access.

How to Set Up: Setting > Lock screen and security > Info and app shortcuts > App shortcuts

2. Multiple Lock Screen Images

For your Lock screen’s wallpaper, you can now select multiple images from your Gallery to change the look each time you check your lock screen. It allows you to choose up to 30 images.

In addition, if you long press the display while the lock screen is on, the time and other information on the display disappear leaving only the wallpaper image. That allows you to see your lock screen image without interference from any on-screen information.

How to Set Up: Settings > Wallpaper > Lock screen > Select From Gallery and choose the photos (up to 30)

3. More Ways to Manage Apps from Home Screen

With the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, you can now easily move apps around your home screens and search for apps more simply.

To move icons to different Home screens, long press an icon, and then drag it to the Move apps icon on the upper right. The Move apps is a temporary container for managing several applications at once. Then tap or drag it to move it to another page.

In addition, you can look for an app by name in the app tray by selecting “Search” at the top of the screen.

4. Show All Apps on Home Screen

Usually downloads all go to an app tray, but if you don’t like that way of organizing them, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge give you an alternative method. Choosing “Show all apps on home screen” gets rid of the app tray, and moves all the apps to the Home screens.

How to Set Up: Settings > Advanced features > Galaxy Labs

5. Identify Unsaved Callers

When you receive a call from a number not in your address book, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge can check to see if that phone number is suspected of being a spammer or even a fraud-related number, and what the risk level is. Depending on that analysis, you can choose to block or report the number.

How to Set Up: Settings > Advanced features > Identify unsaved numbers

6. Display Scaling

Display scaling lets you optimize the DPI (Dots Per Inch) settings of your display. You can either choose to stay as Standard or change to Condensed. Condensing your display lets you view more content on the screen at one time with smaller icons, controls, and text.

How to Set Up: Settings > Display > Display scaling

7. Icon Backgrounds

For the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, the look of the icons has been updated to be more unified and natural. For native apps, the icons all come in a “squircle” shape (a square with rounded edges), creating a pleasing and organized appearance. For third-party apps, users can turn on the Icon background, which creates a squircle container background for all those icons, too, unifying the look of all of a user’s apps. In addition, many icons now offer two different styles—a traditional flat look, and a more 3D look.

How to Set Up: Settings > Display > Icon backgrounds

8. Schedule Auto Restart

Often restarting a device is one of the best ways to keep it running efficiently, as it clears out the system and ensure new apps and updates are operating properly. Auto restart ensures that your Galaxy S7 or S7 edge gets a regular restarting, so you don’t have to worry about remembering to do it manually. The function also takes care to prevent restarting from happening at inconvenient times, so it only occurs when the screen is turned off and the device is not in use, but there is at least 30 percent of the battery power remaining.

How to Set Up: Settings > Backup and reset > Auto restart

In addition to these innovative features newly added to the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, a variety of other useful functions are also available on these flagship Galaxy devices.

9. Always On Display

Now you can check on notifications, missed calls, the time, date and more without ever unlocking your display. Always On Display puts that information right on your screen, freeing you from activating your display to check them, and without draining your battery.

How to Set Up: Settings > Display > Always On Display

10. Cross App

With Cross App, you can use apps from within certain other apps. For example, while chatting with a friend in the Messages app, you can access photos and videos and share them, or open a URL and check out a web page, all without exiting the messenger first.

Cross App is automatically integrated with the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. When using the Messages app, just click on the paperclip icon on the left of the Enter message panel. That gives you the choice of Camera, Gallery or Other. Camera lets you take photos or record video and send it directly to the person you are chatting with. Gallery lets you select photos and videos saved on your device. Other offers a range of apps, including Audio, Voice recorder, Memo and more.

11. Game Launcher

The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are gamer-friendly devices, and both come with an app that makes gaming even better. Game Launcher lets you maximize your game-playing time through a variety of power-saving options. You can also turn off all notifications so nothing interrupts your gaming and lock the Recent and Back keys to prevent accidentally exiting a game. In addition, you can also take screen shots, record games and share them with friends.

How to Set Up: Settings > Advanced features > Game > Game Launcher

12. Smart Switch

Smart Switch, which makes it easy to transfer your old data to a new Galaxy device, has gotten an upgrade for the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, with a new home layout, better app data recovery, and other improvements. A USB connector (On-The-Go Adapter) also comes with the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, ensuring you can transmit data easily from the moment you unbox your device. Allowing transfers from devices with different operating systems, Smart Switch is a convenient way to move all your files, including contacts, chat messages, photos, calendar, apps and music.

How to Set Up: Settings > Backup and reset > Open Smart Switch

13. Quick Dial

Quick Dial makes calling your contacts faster and easier. Once enabled, you just need to give the home key a long press (even if the display is off), and then speak the name of the person you want to call. Quick Dial takes care of the rest. Also, the feature’s machine learning allows your device to become more familiar with your voice over time, thus increasing the device’s functionality as you use it more often.

How to Set Up: Settings > Advanced features > Galaxy Labs > Quick Dial

14. Tasks edge

This is a function only on the Galaxy S7 edge model. Just as People edge puts your most important contacts right into the curved edge screen for easy access, and Apps edge does the same for your favorite apps, Tasks edge lets you assign a shortcut for your most common tasks. Setting an alarm, composing a text message or creating an event can be assigned to the edge of the display, for fast, easy access.

How to Set Up: Settings > Edge screen > Edge panels

* All functionality features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.