25 Coolest Mobile Security And Management Tools Of 2021: The Mobile 100

We’ve pulled together the leading mobile security tools focused on mobile threat prevention for businesses, along with the top mobile device management platforms.

Mobile Security Tools And Management Platforms

As remote work continues to be widespread, having the right mobile security tools has become a business imperative. The same goes for mobile device management platforms, including enterprise mobility management (EMM) and unified endpoint management (UEM) solutions. In a nutshell, securing corporate data in 2021 means providing management and security across all potential attack vectors—from users and devices to mobile apps and networks. It also means securing devices across operating systems, from Apple iOS and Android to Microsoft’s Windows 10, Apple’s macOS and Google’s Chrome OS.

In 2021, device management solutions and mobile security tools, such as mobile threat prevention solutions, are available from a wide range of cybersecurity vendors both small and large. To help solution providers with finding the right mobile security and management tools for their customers, we’ve pulled together a list of products that are both highly regarded and come from vendors that are actively engaged with the channel. Our list includes details on mobile management and security tools from vendors including Check Point, CrowdStrike, Jamf, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, Sophos, VMware, Zscaler and many more.

As part of CRN’s Mobile 100 for 2021, we’ve rounded up 25 top mobile security and management tools that are worth knowing about.

Addigy

Addigy specializes in offering cloud-based management of Macs and iOS devices, with solutions including multi-tenant offerings for MSPs to manage multiple environments. Key features include management of device security, deployment and enrollment of devices in a consistent manner, and tracking of every device in a network—regardless of location. Addigy stands out in the market with its capabilities to remotely push out configurations to Macs.

Bitdefender GravityZone Security for Mobile

Bitdefender offers GravityZone Security for Mobile as a solution for enforcing mobile device security from the same platform for managing physical and virtualized endpoints, without the need for additional infrastructure. The solution offers security and management across iOS and Android, with key features including on-demand anti-malware scanning for Android devices.

BlackBerry Protect Mobile

BlackBerry Protect Mobile augments BlackBerry’s Unified Endpoint Manager solution by providing AI-powered mobile threat defense—offering prevention, detection and remediation for cyber threats both at the device level and the application level. Capabilities include iOS app integrity checking and Android malware detection.

Check Point Harmony Mobile

Part of the recently launched Harmony unified security offering from Check Point Software Technologies, Harmony Mobile secures mobile devices used by employees against malicious apps and against attacks on the network or operating system. Downloads of malicious apps are detected and blocked in real time, while network protection capabilities include anti-phishing, safe browsing and conditional access.

Citrix Endpoint Management

With the Citrix Endpoint Management solution, all apps and endpoints are brought into a unified view, enabling organizations to deliver a secure digital workspace to users while providing simplified management of endpoints.

CrowdStrike Falcon for Mobile

With the CrowdStrike Falcon for Mobile offering, the cybersecurity vendor extends its endpoint detection and response solution to iOS and Android devices—enabling mobile devices to be secured with the same platform that’s used to protect servers, cloud workloads and workstations. Key capabilities include automated threat detection and comprehensive, real-time visibility into app activity.

Cybereason Mobile

Cybereason has expanded its prevention, detection and response capabilities from traditional endpoints to mobile devices to allow customers to combat threats from a single console. Cybereason Mobile and Cybereason Mobile MDR aim to provide more robust protection against mobile-centric threats like phishing.

Deep Instinct Mobile Security

Deep Instinct leverages deep learning AI technology for high-accuracy prediction and prevention of mobile threats across iOS and Android. The company also detects malicious behaviors at the device level and network level, then provides an automated response, with capabilities to address both known and unknown mobile threats.

IBM Security MaaS360 with Watson

IBM says it’s bringing an AI-focused approach to managing and securing endpoints with the MaaS360 with Watson unified endpoint management solution. MaaS360 with Watson uses the AI capabilities of IBM’s Watson platform to analyze massive amounts of endpoint data across all major operating systems, enabling unified security for all users, endpoints and apps.

Ivanti Unified Endpoint Management

Following the acquisitions of mobile endpoint management firm MobileIron and secure access firm Pulse Secure in late 2020, Ivanti now offers an array of mobile security solutions as part of its Unified Endpoint Management offering. Those solutions include Ivanti UEM for Mobile, which enables automated management of iOS and Android devices, and Ivanti Mobile Threat Defense, which provides automatic mobile threat detection and remediation.

Jamf Pro

Jamf’s Apple enterprise mobility management solution, Jamf Pro, offers a full spectrum of management capabilities across Mac, iPhone and iPad—including deployment, device management, app management and inventory. Jamf Pro also enables security for Apple devices with features for managing device settings, automated patching and restricting of malicious software.

Kandji

Kandji offers an Apple device management solution that focuses on automating many of the time-consuming tasks involved with managing Apple devices. Kandji provides a library of more than 200 prebuilt automations that IT administrators can leverage—ranging from automations for security and compliance requirements to automations for mundane tasks such as renaming devices.

Kaspersky Security for Mobile

The Kaspersky Security for Mobile solution includes mobile threat defense features such as mobile anti-malware—which uses both signature-based protection as well as heuristic analysis that leverages the Kaspersky Security Network’s threat intelligence capabilities. Other key features include anti-theft, web protection and rooting protection that prevents compromise devices from access to corporate resources.

Lookout Mobile Endpoint Security

Lookout’s Mobile Endpoint Security offering leverages AI to analyze data from more than 120 million apps and from nearly 200 million devices to provide protection from mobile threats, both known and unknown. Along with endpoint protection, other key solutions within Lookout Mobile Endpoint Security include phishing and content protection; mobile risk and compliance; mobile vulnerability and patch management; mobile endpoint detection and response; and embedded app defense for advanced detection of mobile threats.

McAfee MVision Mobile

McAfee’s MVision Mobile solution provides capabilities including advanced threat analysis—using machine learning to uncover deviations in behavior and accurately identify attacks—along with mobile protection that is “always on” because it sits directly on the device. The solution also features a central management console for controlling all devices.

Microsoft Endpoint Manager

Microsoft Endpoint Manager brings together services and tools including Intune, for cloud-based management of mobile devices and applications; Configuration Manager, for management of PCs and servers; Co-management, which combines on-premises Configuration Manager deployments with the cloud; Desktop Analytics, which offers insights about the update readiness of Windows devices; Windows Autopilot for setting up and pre-configuring new devices; and Azure Active Directory, Microsoft’s identity authentication solution.

Miradore

Miradore offers device management and security across iOS, Android, Windows and macOS devices. Capabilities of the Miradore product span management of device and data security, device settings and restrictions, app and content management and automation of tasks such as device enrollments and configurations.

Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect

Palo Alto Networks’ solution for secure mobile workforces, GlobalProtect, extends the company’s next-generation firewall capabilities to mobile users, no matter where they’re located. The solution delivers an “always-on” IPsec/SSL VPN connection between endpoints and operating systems, enabling secure access to sensitive data, while providing full visibility.

Proofpoint Mobile Defense

With its Mobile Defense solution, Proofpoint is aiming to provide advanced protection against malicious mobile apps and Wi-Fi networks. The solution covers both Android and iOS, and works by bringing together analysis of mobile apps with automation of workflows. Proofpoint Mobile Defense seeks to provide the visibility needed for managing app-based risks, while adding capabilities such as uncovering potential threats and attacks via Wi-Fi networks.

Sophos Intercept X for Mobile

Sophos Intercept X for Mobile provides mobile threat defense across iOS and Android devices using deep learning anti-malware technology—the same technology that underpins the Intercept X solution for Windows, macOS and server. Intercept X for Mobile ultimately provides mobile protection even against previously unknown threats.

SOTI ONE Platform

The SOTI ONE Platform is an offering for securing both mobile devices and IoT operations, including solutions such as the SOTI MobiControl enterprise mobility management solution, the SOTI Assist mobile-first diagnostic help desk, SOTI Insight business intelligence and the SOTI Connect solution for full lifecycle management of IoT devices. Recent updates include the launch of the SOTI MobiControl System Health Dashboard, which provides a comprehensive overview of the operational performance of the SOTI MobiControl EMM.

Symantec Endpoint Protection Mobile

Symantec, which is owned by Broadcom, offers solutions for securing mobile devices within its Endpoint Protection Mobile offering that include proactive mobile threat defense—which provides prediction, detection and prevention of attacks. The mobile threat defense solution covers mobile attack vectors across device, app, operating system, network and user behavior.

VMware Workspace One

VMware Workspace One brings together unified endpoint management—which consolidates management of mobile devices, desktops and rugged devices—with zero-trust security and correlation of data across the digital workspace. The solution, available both on-premises or as a cloud service, ultimately combines access control, multi-platform endpoint management and application management within a single platform.

Zimperium zIPS

Zimperium zIPS (Intrusion Prevention System) is an enterprise mobile security solution that provides on-device protection by leveraging machine learning-based detection and mobile threat research. The company says that its z9 Machine-Learning engine has detected “100 percent of zero-day mobile exploits in the wild on-device and without requiring updates” over the past five years.

Zscaler Client Connector

Formerly Z App, the Zscaler Client Connector forwards mobile user traffic to the company’s cloud platform in order to ensure secure access to applications. The solution works to enforce security and access policies across all devices, applications and locations.