Mobile Apps: Are the Benefits Worth the Risk?

The following post is taken from Travel and Transport's Quarterly Newsletter, which was released just a few weeks ago. You can read and subscribe to our newsletter here.

There are literally thousands of mobile applications available to consumers - some, such as Yelp, help users with a specific goal in mind, while others provide no purpose at all.

Mobile technology is changing how we interact with the world and the development of travel apps is quickly gaining speed. Roughly 90 percent of Travel and Transport's customers currently use these products, but it will only get more popular - especially when this technology gets bigger (iPad) easier to use and faster, said Mike Kubasik, Travel and Transport's Senior Vice President, Information Services and CIO.

Whether travelers download their company's managed or third party unmanaged applications, mobile apps simplify travelers' lives by allowing them to have the information they need at their fingertips, he said. Travelers today can easily view their itinerary and be alerted of flight changes and make reservations; in the near future they will be able to make purchases and interact with online booking tools.

"Technology is ever changing and is being created to adapt to what consumers want and need," Kubasik said. "With the ability to be PC free, applications appear to make life easier."

While there are many advantages for a traveler to have access to mobile information, there are potential risks involved. As downloading the newest app becomes more popular, security for sensitive corporate information becomes an important concern. Just like laptops and desktop computers, mobile devices are susceptible to viruses, hackers and malware, according to a whitepaper published by Foundstone.com, a division of McAfee. In fact, since this article was published in our newsletter, the first legitimate viruses have begun to circulate on both Apple iOS devices and Google Android OS devices.

One notable risk is the potential for exposure of critical information. According to a study by PC World, one in every five mobile applications will ask users for access to private information, such as location and contacts in the mobile phone.

"When downloading an unmanaged third party application, customers may be unknowingly agreeing to terms that their company wouldn't be comfortable with, such as itinerary, hotel and flight information," Kubasik said.

Depending on the supporting company, developers can create applications without having to undergo a screening process - this places the responsibility directly on users to detect corrupt and malicious applications, according to The Wall Street Journal.

So the question is: are travel apps worth the risk? Kubasik thinks so; however, he stresses the importance of selecting a corporate option rather than downloading an application on your own. For instance, Travel and Transport supports the following mobile apps for our customers:

• Rearden Mobile Personal Assistant
• Concur Mobile
• TripCase by Sabre
• GetThere Mobile
• WorldMate Live
• TripIt Mobile

With a managed travel application, the travel manager will know, and will be able to track who is using the application; this will provide better security to both the company and its employees.