®
  • Home
  • Company
    • Overview
    • Expeto Team
    • Careers
    • Media Room
    • Privacy Policy
  • Platform
    • Overview
    • For MxOs
    • For Enterprises
  • Partners
    • Partner Program
    • Partner Portal
  • Industries
    • Agriculture
    • Airports
    • Healthcare
    • Logistics
    • Manufacturing
    • Mining
    • Oil & Gas
    • Ports
    • Safety & Security
    • Utilities
  • Resources
    • Press Releases
    • Blogs
    • Downloads
  • Connect
Expeto
  • Home
  • Company
    • Overview
    • Expeto Team
    • Careers
    • Media Room
    • Privacy Policy
  • Platform
    • Overview
    • For MxOs
    • For Enterprises
  • Partners
    • Partner Program
    • Partner Portal
  • Industries
    • Agriculture
    • Airports
    • Healthcare
    • Logistics
    • Manufacturing
    • Mining
    • Oil & Gas
    • Ports
    • Safety & Security
    • Utilities
  • Resources
    • Press Releases
    • Blogs
    • Downloads
  • Connect
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Linkedin
Expeto Expeto

Shadow OT in the Age of Covid-19

November 3, 2021 /Posted byBrian Baird

Part 5 of 8: Using Personal Devices for Professional Purposes

Covid-19 has transformed daily life for most of us over the past two years.  Perhaps the change I have noticed most acutely is the emergence of Shadow Operational Technology (OT) creeping into our lives in countless ways. Think of all the technology required to adapt to an efficient yet Covid-conscious model for work. Employees forced to work from home may now have to rely on personal devices like laptops, phones and tablets not owned, controlled or monitored by the organizations using them – perfect examples of Shadow OT – to maintain business as usual. Or consider the vendors and restaurants that use mobile devices to facilitate hands free payment and screening.

While the use of personal devices for professional purposes has been beneficial throughout the pandemic – especially for struggling businesses unable to afford company devices for employees – when it comes to Shadow OT, cautionary tales remain plentiful. Therefore, let’s think about how the use of personal devices for professional purposes can impact data security.

Trial by Fire

Not too long ago, I went to a restaurant I’ve been to countless times before for some good old comfort food, fish & chips. And as has become the norm,  a worker asked to scan my vaccine passport upon arriving (in Canada, this is usually a QR code generated by a provincial government website). So far, no big deal – that is, until I sat down. To my surprise, I saw the worker using Instagram on the same device that was just used to scan my Vaccine Passport QR code. Hmmm.  This must be a personal cell phone – a clear example of Shadow OT at use.

In terms of data security, what does this all mean? Let’s dive a bit deeper. It turns out that the personal device of the worker used to scan my QR code was attached to the open public Wi-Fi offered by the venue.  As with any public Wi-Fi network, it would be very easy for anyone with a laptop and a bit of know-how to Wireshark or record network traffic for live or future analysis. So hopefully, the link to the provincial health cloud is secured and the worker’s personal device is free of viruses and other malware. The problem is, we don’t know.

This example can be extended and compared ad nauseam. Think of a remote worker using a personal laptop to review confidential data on the public WiFi of a coffeeshop. Or a fieldworker asking passersby to complete a data-collecting survey on their personal tablet. If that phone, that laptop or that tablet is not monitored by the employer, there is simply no way to ensure that data security is being upheld – or even considered – as it should.

Time to Problem Solve

Common sense can easily solve this conundrum.  As more employees start relying on mobile devices, businesses need to implement a bigger security veil so that there is no loss of data. And ultimately, business owners should forbid the use of personal devices – especially when personal or confidential information is at stake.  Finally, if businesses have the means, then they should ensure that employees have dedicated devices with a private communication path to the end applications consuming the personal/confidential information. Doing so would prevent the opportunity for unwanted network infringement by external – and therefore unauthorized – parties.  

Expeto’s NeXtworking™ solution for Private Mobile Networks (PMNs) can easily solve this issue by enabling workers to securely access the company PMN no matter where in the world they might be. Protected by the company firewall, the device will adhere to the company’s security policies all across the globe. And with control over the data path of each and every company device, businesses can establish an unprecedented new standard for data security. The result? More peace of mind to both the consumer and businesses – which will go a long way toward getting through this phase of Covid-19 together.  


To read more in Brian Baird’s Shadow OT series, click below!

      • Shadow OT Is Coming. Are You Prepared?
      • Shadow OT in Telecom. Friend or Foe?
      • From Surviving to Thriving Family Farms with Private Mobile Networks
      • Retailer Resilience in the Age of Amazon
      • Protecting industrial IoT with Expeto and ZTNA
      • Race Ahead with Expeto
Tags: Data Security, enterprise, Shadow OT
Expeto CEO to Speak at Fierce ...
New “5G Rising” Do...

Related posts

Read more

Blurred Lines: Transforming MxO Leadership and Culture

May 11, 2022
Prophetic signals promoting the need for MxO (Mobile Network Operators, Multiple System Operators, Communication Service Providers) leadership to transform all facets of organizational culture are... Continue reading
Enterprise 5G will be a game changer for enterprises.
Read more

Experience on the Field with the 5G Enterprise Deployment Options

April 7, 2022
In a Fierce Wireless E5G Show session titled “Experience on the Field with the Enterprise 5G Deployment Options,” Expeto CEO Michael Anderson explores real world... Continue reading
5G Innovation fostered at the 5G OIL
Read more

Expeto Featured in Amdocs Podcast on Next-Gen Innovations at the 5G Open Innovation Lab

March 24, 2022
On an Amdocs podcast episode, Collaborate to Innovate, Expeto CEO Michael Anderson spoke with Matt Roberts, North American Marketing Director at Amdocs, about how Expeto’s... Continue reading
Read more

Race Ahead with Expeto

February 2, 2022
Part 7 of 8: Meaningful 5G Innovation for MotorsportsThe in-car driving career for most professionals in a top series is usually less than 7 years. ... Continue reading
Read more

Digital Transformation in Mining

February 1, 2022
As companies strive to embrace next-gen technologies that enable digital transformation, few industries feel the pressure to modernize quite as acutely as mining. Due to... Continue reading

Comments are closed

Feature-Rich. Benefit-Driven.

See Features & Benefits

Copyright © 2022 • Expeto, Inc. All Rights Reserved

  • USD / $
    • EUR / €
    • This is just for demo
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT