Government Technology Trends to Watch in 2014: Mobile

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1 Government Technology Trends to Watch in 2014: Mobile

2 OVERVIEW The push for increased adoption of mobile technology in the federal government is poised to see its biggest step forward in the coming year. The federal government s goal is to use this mobile technology to allow federal workers to operate remotely, remain productive at all times, and increase efficiency, all while dealing with continued budget constraints. 90% Percentage of federal employees who use mobile devices for work While adoption rates continue to grow rapidly into the new year, there are still many concerns hindering its growth. These concerns will shape the trends of mobile technology through Mobile security remains the most critical issue, as increased accessibility with mobile technologies introduces new vulnerabilities in IT security systems. 11% Percentage of mobile devices used by federal employees that are secure Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) programs are expected to gain more widespread adoption throughout the federal government in The cost and convenience benefits by allowing federal employees to use their own mobile devices for work are impossible to ignore. However, the BYOD program complicate security measures, exposing agencies to even more potential security threats. 2

3 KEY GOVT MANDATES Americans deserve a government that works for them anytime, anywhere, and on any device. - President Barack Obama One of the earliest government projects designed to aid in federal mobile technology adoption was the Making Mobile Gov Project, sponsored by The GSA, held during the summer of The threephase project brought together a community of government officials, mobile industry professionals, and members of the general public to help design a mobile future for the federal government. On May 23rd, 2012, President Obama issued a new digital strategy aimed at increasing federal adoption of mobile technology. This memorandum required each agency to make at least two public services available on mobile devices within 12 months. Not only did this plan help move the government towards a mobile future, it also outlined the need to move the government broadband spectrum into the private market in order to cope with expanding mobile technologies. Last year, the White House issued a set of security standards for mobile devices and technology to help agencies better manage mobile security challenges. These standards are also designed to help guide companies developing mobile technologies for the federal market. However, these guidelines do not include any information on security measures for BYOD, showing that personal devices remain a hurdle in implementing federal mobile security standards. $5.4B Amount government could save annually if just 7% of federal workers telecommuted 3

4 CRITICAL ISSUES While the government recognizes the need to adopt new mobile technologies in order to improve efficiency, it faces a unique set of challenges due to security concerns that are slowing adoption rates. And to further complicate matters, federal agencies have to deal with these security concerns on flat or reduced budget. The government is currently lacking a strong user authentication program that complies with federal mandates, while still being easy and convenient to use. There is also a growing need for validated, secure, and efficient encryption technologies for mobile devices. The process for security testing and authorization is slow due to a lack of automated tools that simplify and streamline the job. While the government is attempting to address these security concerns by publishing guidelines for agencies to follow regarding mobile security compliance, the users themselves are typically the weakest link in security. Many federal employees haven t even taken the simplest security steps, like password-protecting their mobile device. BYOD introduces further security challenges as it gains more widespread adoption in The federal government has yet to fully develop a plan to securely support a BYOD program, as agencies are unsure of how to protect data when it is being accessed on devices outside of their control. As a result, BYOD is consequently slowing down other mobile security advancements as the federal government tries to integrate BYOD policies. Quick Facts Mobile generated productivity enhancements could reduce government hiring, resulting in lifetime salary and pension savings of: $25B 4

5 GOVT SALES ACTIVITY The following Top 25 federal procurements from FY 2013 that specifically included mobile devices and software clearly confirm the federal government s increasing adoption of mobile technologies. Although the total award value for these contracts was not entirely committed to mobile technologies, they specifically called for distinct mobile elements. The agencies awarding these contracts also confirms our analysis that the largest market for mobile technologies is within the defense department. Not surprising since the defense department supports mobile soldiers and support staff around the globe. Agency Name Award Date Awarded Value Department of the Army 07/11/13 $8,321,308,678 Department of the Army 10/09/13 $7,837,755,601 Department of the Army 12/21/12 $6,791,503,674 Department of Veterans Affairs 01/06/14 $5,614,374,154 National Aeronautics and Space Administration 02/25/14 $5,212,418,348 Department of the Army 09/11/13 $5,124,446,310 National Aeronautics and Space Administration 02/28/14 $4,490,433,768 Department of Energy 01/31/14 $4,288,121,374 Department of the Air Force 07/16/13 $4,201,628,626 Department of the Air Force 07/16/13 $3,563,202,111 Department of the Navy 07/09/13 $3,206,577,717 Department of the Army 06/26/13 $3,082,704,997 Department of the Army 07/12/13 $2,919,274,862 Department of the Navy 11/25/13 $2,531,408,955 Department of the Navy 07/11/13 $2,337,269,985 Department of the Navy 07/16/13 $2,265,302,798 Department of the Navy 01/13/14 $1,973,282,519 Department of the Navy 07/05/13 $1,875,552,830 Department of the Army 02/01/13 $1,758,927,991 Department of State 02/07/14 $1,715,377,591 Department of the Navy 07/01/13 $1,633,650,440 Department of the Army 07/15/13 $1,609,566,829 Defense Logistics Agency 11/07/13 $1,595,179,245 Missile Defense Agency 06/27/13 $1,335,059,440 Air Force Materiel Command 02/22/13 $1,326,630,574 5

6 OUTLOOK As we move into 2014, the federal government will continue to address mobile security concerns. We can expect the move to a FedRAMP-style certification process, allowing agencies to choose from a list of pre-approved mobile devices that have already been tested for compatibility with an agency s specific needs. Mobile technologies do not need to be a one-sided threat. These devices can actually be harnessed as tools for security enhancement. Instead of being viewed as a potential source of vulnerability, a mobile device can act as a powerful security key with the ability to verify identity, transmit encrypted data, or enable access to a particular site or service. Continued advancements in BYOD security measures can also be expected through the development of guest networks that will allow mobile devices secure access to essential functions. Mobile integration will continue to increase rapidly, driven by device standardization, virtual desktops, user authentication, data encryption, and BYOD % Global Mobile Spending by Sector Percentage of IT Spending 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 19.30% 17.20% 15.20% 13.10% 12.70% 12.10% 12.00% 11.40% 10.70% 9.20% 8.40% 5.00% 0.00% Source: Gartner Forecast, January

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