The Galaxy Note7 is a smartphone that lets users do more. Equipped with Knox 2.7, the latest version of Samsung’s mobile security solution, the device boasts numerous features that are of great benefit to enterprise users in particular. Designed with security, manageability and productivity in mind, Knox 2.7 offers deeper protection of personal and work data, as well as greater convenience than ever before.
A New Knox for Next-Level Security
First and foremost, Knox 2.7 has vastly enhanced core kernel security, thanks to the addition of Control Flow Protection defense.
When a smartphone’s software needs the hardware to do anything, from changing the brightness of the screen to initiating a call, it sends a request to the kernel. As the most central part of the operating system, security attacks here can be the most destructive.
In particular, one of the most problematic and stealthy kernel attacks is called Jump-Oriented Programming (JOP), which is when a hacker tries to interrupt processing to gain elevated access to resources that are normally protected from an application or user. But Knox 2.7 has significantly reduced the dangers of this type of attack.
Knox 2.7 has also taken advantage of the Galaxy’s Note7’s iris scanner to provide an entirely new level of security. Not only is an iris scan more secure and accurate than a fingerprint scan, but its protective efficacy also proves useful for unlocking and accessing the Knox container. IT administrators, working with MDMs, can now apply this unique authentication method, giving them more flexibility in implementing device security.
Yet another new security solution enabled by Knox technology is Secure Folder—a separate, encrypted folder that lets users manage private apps and sensitive files securely. Incorporating changes made based on user feedback, this improved feature comes preloaded on the device. With simple setup right from the Settings menu, along with a user-friendly UX, Secure Folder is as convenient as it is secure. It can even be hidden so that no one even knows it exists.
Unrivaled Manageability
One of the most important elements of maintaining good security in the workplace is keeping firmware up to date. In fact, just a few devices with outdated firmware can create security risks for all.
Knox 2.7 eliminates this problem, giving a company’s IT department more control over firmware updates. Using Firmware Over the Air (FOTA), IT managers can ensure everyone has the latest and most appropriate firmware on their devices over the carrier network. IT admins also now have the option to specify the official update version at their own preferred time without user interaction for more efficient device management.
But Knox 2.7 doesn’t just enable IT administrators to manage employees’ firmware. The new update also makes device enrollment easier and faster.
IT managers of large enterprises usually have large fleets of devices to maintain, and often must rely on mobile enrollment of devices to do so. With Knox 2.7, IT departments using one of Samsung’s Mobile Device Management (MDM) partners can now use cellular networks in addition to Wi-Fi to complete the mobile enrollment of large numbers of devices in bulk.
The addition of the cellular network option to mobile enrollment is especially useful for people in high security fields like the government, where Wi-Fi might not be used because of internal security concerns. But with Knox 2.7, now even government officials can get their devices enrolled and ready to use remotely.
Smarter Features for Enhanced Productivity
Corporations rely on Microsoft Exchange and Active Directory for everyday work tasks. Knox 2.7 continues to support Active Directory Single Sign On (SSO), a feature that allows users to connect to multiple applications that use a common authentication mechanism. It has also been significantly enhanced to better support these services, with many improvements based on user feedback.
First of all, it allows for the storage and management of up to five older S/MIME certificates (the digital signature and encryption standard for email). That way, users can access all their emails, even those that use older encryption keys.
In addition, Knox 2.7 has more sophisticated phone number access, with better recognition of extension numbers. Previously, the Contacts app misinterpreted numbers with extensions. But now, with an Exchange-compatible dialer format, when a contact is entered with an extension, the Samsung device deciphers it correctly and connects to it properly.
Knox 2.7 also brings a very useful addition to the car. Phone Book Access (PBA) allows a user’s Car Kit to access phone numbers and contact information for both their Personal and Knox Workspace accounts without moving the data. Previously, drivers did not have access to contacts in the protected Knox Workspace via a Bluetooth connection but Knox 2.7 allows IT administrators to enable or disable this function.
With the introduction of Knox 2.7, Samsung’s leading mobile security solution is even safer and more versatile than before. Anchored in the device’s hardware, Samsung’s highly manageable Knox 2.7 protects users’ personal and work information, all the while ensuring maximized productivity.
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