What's Hot for 2014?

Mobile device security and The Internet of Things were both big topics at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Sure, there were gadgets galore, new-fangled televisions, and some sci-fi robotic creatures running about, but the big news and big focus were on mobile device security and The Internet of Things. These two topics are hot but not trendy. They're for real. And they're both coming soon to a job description near you.

You might have already dealt with mobile devices in your business by purchasing and using a mobile device management (MDM) or mobile application management (MAM) suite. But this year's focus on mobile security is different: It's all about the device itself and not about using some external forces to steamroll policies onto devices.

Mobile device security plagues us all personally and in business. The new bring-your-own-device (BYOD) models cause even more problems for businesses and, in turn, you and me – the people who must cope with those user-owned devices.

Users can't be trusted to apply patches and updates; nor can they be relied upon to use strong passwords – or passwords at all – so we use heavy-handed mobile device management software to mitigate those risks and to enforce security policies that protect corporate assets. The more security we enforce, the more users complain, whether the device is personal or corporate owned.

This year manufacturers will take the lead in security measures for mobile devices. Mobile device manufacturers now realize that security must be built into the hardware, operating system, and software. You can't ignore any aspect of the device, and the most logical place to start building in security is at the beginning – during manufacture.

Yes, you'll still need to use your MDM or MAM suite, but the heavy-handedness of the past couple of years can disappear from sight. Devices will be more securely constructed and therefore require less interference and

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