Mobile devices need the same proxy blocking rules as laptops when it comes to corporate-owned IT. Proxy.Pac, a local file on mobile devices that contains proxy rules, is a must-have IT tool kit for any enterprise fielding a mobile workforce where stringent security is a requirement. It should be running on all corporate mobile devices in conjunction with a virtual private network (VPN).
As regulated industries like financial services and healthcare move to mobile first strategies, Proxy.Pac enables granular control over web browsing, helping prevent data leakage and other potential compromises that can risk compliance and security breaches.
Here are three reasons why you need this solution in your IT tool kit:
1. Helps Manage High Volumes of Internal and External Server Requests
A mobile workforce can add extra strain on an organization’s proxy servers. For example, if a large business has 60,000 mobile devices distributed to its workforce, incoming requests from those devices would quickly overload a traditional proxy model in which every request goes through the corporate proxy without exception. No amount of configuring proxy servers will change this reality.
When you put a Proxy.Pac file on those 60,000 mobile devices, you reduce proxy load and promote efficiency for mobile device proxy requests. It checks the file on the device to see whether it’s an internal or external request, so when a user wants to browse an external website, it will recognize the URL as an external site and direct the external request to the corporate proxy server. If that same user wants to browse an internal site like a file share, the request doesn’t need to go to the corporate proxy server, dramatically reducing server requests.
2. Provides Controls Over Employee Web Browsing
Mobile workers will access internal and external server resources to get their jobs done and maybe even entertain themselves throughout the workday. But IT managers in regulated industries need granular control over which sites are available for browsing from corporate devices — there’s a strict mandate in regulated markets for the traceability of external requests.
For example, if a financial brokerage executive travels frequently and uses a mobile device to browse the web for both work and personal entertainment, they would typically need to secure access to their company’s internal websites and limited external sites from the company smartphone. However, if they want to access a personal Gmail account, Proxy.Pac would block the request due to security policy.
3. Establishes and Augments VPN Security
Proxy.Pac is supported on Samsung Galaxy smartphones running BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus (BSCP). Users can establish a secure, AES-256 encrypted tunnel between the Knox Workspace container on a corporate device and their network, providing seamless access to corporate back-end resources, including file shares and applications behind the firewall. There’s no need for a costly device-wide VPN, and it spares users from a network DMZ component.
Better yet, IT can use an existing VPN solution to save on costs, time and resources, and they won’t need to open an inbound firewall port for inbound ActiveSync connections or make changes to existing firewall rules that are in place to support BlackBerry Enterprise Server 12 (BES12).
Basing proxy-type security on the mobile device is compelling for IT staff supporting a growing mobile workforce. It saves them from the trial and error of configuring proxy servers to support increased internal traffic while maintaining security and compliance.
As the workplace becomes more mobile, it’s important to equip your enterprise with the most efficient and up-to-date devices. Update your aging fleet of devices with Samsung’s end-to-end mobile security and device management solutions.
