Tag Index for Enterprise Data Control on Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Enterprises lack control over enterprise data stored on employees' mobile devices, which can be lost or misused if not encrypted or secured, posing risks of data accessibility by third parties or misuse upon employee departure.
Innovation Solution
A method involving tagging data as enterprise or personal, identifying storage locations, and storing tags and identifiers in a 'tag index' to enable a mobile agent to perform actions like deletion, backup, or encryption, ensuring data security and compliance with employer wishes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If employees store enterprise data on personal mobile devices for remote work, then productivity and accessibility are improved, but data security and enterprise control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments data on mobile devices into enterprise data and personal data using tags. Enterprise data is identified through application identifiers and stored in an index, allowing selective management and control of only enterprise-related information while leaving personal data unaffected.
Solution Approach 2:
A mobile device management server acts as an intermediary between the enterprise and employee mobile devices. The server receives notifications about enterprise data storage locations and issues commands to control this data, enabling enterprise policy enforcement without direct control over the entire device.
2Reliability
If enterprises implement strict data control measures on mobile devices, then data security is improved, but ease of operation and user freedom deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different levels of control to different data types on the device. Enterprise data receives security controls and management oversight, while personal data maintains full user access and freedom. This localized approach ensures security measures are applied only where necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device itself performs much of the data classification and control execution through locally installed agents that tag data, maintain indexes, and execute commands from the management server, reducing the need for continuous user intervention or awareness of security measures.
3Loss of information
If enterprises monitor and control data on mobile devices, then data loss prevention is improved, but device complexity and management overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary tagging and indexing of enterprise data as it is stored on mobile devices. By identifying and marking enterprise data at the time of creation or transfer, the system establishes control mechanisms in advance, making future data protection and retrieval operations simpler and more automated.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device management server receives notifications and feedback from mobile devices about enterprise data storage locations and status. This feedback loop enables the server to issue appropriate control commands and maintain an accurate view of enterprise data across the mobile device fleet.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system and computer program product for controlling enterprise data on mobile devices. Data on a mobile device is tagged as being associated with either enterprise data or with personal data. Upon identifying the storage location of the tagged data and the identifier of the application that generated the tagged data, the tag, the storage location of the tagged data and the identifier of the application are stored in an index. A mobile agent residing on the mobile device may be directed by a mobile device management server of the enterprise to perform various actions (e.g., deleting, encrypting, backing-up) on the enterprise data using the index. In this manner, the enterprise has the ability to control their applications and data that resides on employees' mobile devices to ensure that such data is not lost or used in a manner that is contrary to the wishes of the employer.