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“We are very excited to raise the standard of secure mobility to a higher level for our customers by integrating our innovative Android platform, Samsung KNOX, with the leading enterprise VPN solution, AnyConnect. Mobile users will enjoy secure and seamless access to their applications and data without compromise”

Executive Vice President of Enterprise Business, IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. Dr. Injong Rhee, commenting on their deal with Cisco Systems to integrate Cisco AnyConnect 4.0 with Samsung KNOX   

It’s nice to know that Samsung KNOX, their solution to make Android secure enough for even Secret Service agents working with the American  CIA (Central intelligence agency) and the British equivalent the GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) to use, has teamed up with Cisco Systems to make their solution even more secure.

samsung-knox

Dubbed AnyConnect for Samsung KNOX, the free VPN (Virtual Private Network) App integrates Cisco Systems AnyConnect 4.0 with Samsung KNOX to make secure connections to their Networking gear. This means secure VPN connection over Mobile Networks as well as Wi-Fi Networks to devices running Samsung KNOX Mobile Platform.

Samsung partnership with Cisco Systems means Corporate and Enterprise Clients interested

It represents a very important deal for Samsung, as the majority of Corporate, Enterprises as well as Government Intelligence Agencies use Cisco Networking Gear according to Research Vice President at Gartner, Leif-Olof Wallin.

Samsung Knox can already connect to VPN connectivity from F5 Networks and Juniper Networks. Having such high profile clients such as the NSA back in October 2014 and the GCHQ earlier in May 2014 added to their client base makes it better to get more Enterprise and Corporate clients in the future who use Cisco Gear.

These clients are assured that they can continue to use their current Networking Gear provider of choice and their cloud-based Platforms along with the Samsung Products that they are comfortable using as the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) trend continues to catch on in Jamaica and globally as noted in Columbus Communications expects BYOD Boost for cloud Computing.

The result is that these clients, who are very sensitive about their Data falling into the hands of Enemies of the State have the benefits of mobility while being able to communicate securely over Wireless Networks via VPN.

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Vice President Product Management, Security Business Group, Cisco, Scott Harrell, clearly realizes what an important client Samsung is and seems concerned with making sure end-to-end security is assured, quote: “Enterprises are demanding solutions that securely empower mobile users to work from anywhere to achieve greater speed, efficiency and agility. However, the convenience of mobility often increases the risk for potential threats. IT organizations need a simple and consistent way to achieve the visibility and control needed to secure enterprise application access”.

With that said, he put in one finals sales pitch for Cisco AnyConnect 4.0, quote: “The combined power of Cisco AnyConnect 4.0 and Samsung KNOX allows IT departments to increase their companies’ overall security posture by providing granular, scalable and secure access for applications in an easy-to-deploy solution for mobile devices.”

The benefits of Samsung KNOX fortified by Cisco AnyConnect 4.0 include:

  • Highly secure, simple, and reliable connectivity
  • Consistent user experience
  • Secure data in motion and at rest
  • Isolation and protection of corporate data

Good to note here that Cisco Systems already offers a free VPN App, AnyConnect ICS+, which allows any Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream or older devices to connect securely via VPN to their Network gear. This is just Samsung KNOX being able to work specifically with Cisco Systems Networking Gear!

Google Android Lollipop to incorporate Samsung Knox  – Solution to Google Security Vulnerabilities

To be honest, I never took Samsung for a Security conscious company. After all they’re Smartphones are running Google Android, which that’s to its heavily fragmented nature, has known security vulnerabilities which Google Head of security as noted in the article Android Browser Security unfixed as Google wants you to Upgrade to Lollipop.

However, Samsung Knox must be pretty good, especially if Google has already made plans since July 2014 to integrated parts of Samsung KNOX into Google Android 5.0 Lollipop. Basically, this integration of part of Samsung Knox into Google android Lollipop will result in a secure space created on the Smartphone to run secure Cloud Application, to quote Android Product Manager Director Srikanth Rajagopalan: “Personal and corporate applications will run as two separate Android users. Data is kept safe by using block-level disk encryption as well as verified boot technology”.

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Look like they have their own plans to court the former Corporate and Enterprise clients that companies like BlackBerry already have as well as Apple and IBM, making inroads with various Corporate and enterprise Clients with their IBM MobileFirst for iOS Platform.

Google, like a true competitor, wants a piece of this Corporate pie. To achieve that, they have to make their latest OS, Google Android 5.0 Lollipop as secure as the Blackberry smartphones that most of these Corporate and Enterprise customers probably still use.

Even Samsung recognizes the strength of Blackberry BES12 security suite, which is why they’re also making partnerships with Blackberry in a bid to gain more credibility with Blackberry BES12 Customers.

Google Lollipop with Samsung KNOX baked into a Lollipop shape

Google Android 5.0 Lollipop, the latest smartphone and Tablet OS from the Mountain View, California based company, is slowly rolling out to new devices in a bid to counter widespread security issues created by Google Android Fragmentation as noted in Android Lollipop on the Fences as KitKat munches away at Jellybean.

Apps built for the Samsung smartphones that already work with Samsung KNOX won’t have to be rebuilt from scratch, as Google had made Lollipop backward compatible with Samsung KNOX, to quote Android Product Manager Director Srikanth Rajagopalan: “Samsung will be providing a Knox Compatibility Library that will let such applications run on all Android L devices”.

So if like me, you’re antsy about Spies stealing your company’s Private Corporate Data, fret not.

If you have an older Google Android Device running Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream or older and your company uses a Cisco Systems Network, you can use the free App AnyConnect ICS+ to connect securely over your company’s Corporate Wi-Fi or via your Home Internet to access your data.

However, if your staff mostly uses Samsung Galaxy smartphones and Tablets, then it might be time to get the security of Samsung KNOX via the free AnyConnect for Samsung KNOX App.

Here’s the link:

AnyConnect for Samsung KNOX

AnyConnect ICS+

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