Kustim Wibowo and Azad Ali, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Mobile systems are information systems that support users in motion. Mobile systems users access the system from any place using any smart devices at any time. Globally, the major reason for the importance of mobile systems is the size their market. As of 2012, there are 5.9 billion and as of 2013, there are 6.8 billion wireless subscriptions. The number of subscriptions approaches of total global population of 7.1 billion. One third of those subscriptions involve smartphones and other mobile devices. The remaining two-thirds of those subscriptions provide an enormous opportunity of future mobile system users. Additionally, mobile use is favored by the young. The younger the age group, the greater the percentage of people with mobile devices. There are some advantages of personal mobile devices in the business environment such as cost savings, greater user satisfaction, reduce need of training, higher productivity, and reduce user support costs. However, there are many disadvantages such as data loss or damage, loss control, compatibility problems, risk of computer virus infection, and greater user support costs.

This research focuses on how to protect data loss or damage due to the mobile access. When data is accessed and brought into users’ or employees’ owned mobile computing devices, the business and organization loses control over where it goes and what happens to it. Also, if the user or an employee loses his or her device, the data goes with it, and when an employee leaves the organization, the data on their personal devices will have to be revoked or deleted, somehow. There are some existing control mechanisms for data access and well BYOD (bring your own device) and BYOA (bring your own application) policies in most organizations to protect network and data access. This research will discuss the existing and will introduce new and improved mechanisms and regulations that will provide a better and more flexible data access, as well as data protection. This research will utilize information in the university libraries, journals, newspaper, and magazines, as well as online resources.