MDM vs MAM: Navigating Mobile Security with Hypori

Mobile devices have become the primary means of accessing the internet. As of January 2025, mobile devices account for approximately 62.69% of global internet usage, while desktops comprise about 35.4%.¹  

This shift underscores the critical importance of enterprise mobility management, especially as more employees use smartphones for work-related activities. Notably, a 2021 survey found that 64% of U.S. employees utilize their personal smartphones for business purposes.² A 2023 study indicated that 75% of American workers utilize their cell phones for work tasks.³ Finally, research from 2024 suggests that 66% of employees who use technology in their jobs regularly employ smartphones for work activities.⁴

With the increasing reliance on mobile devices in professional settings, maintaining strong mobile security measures is more essential than ever.

As mobile security evolves, organizations must choose the right approach to managing devices and securing data. Solutions like mobile device management (MDM), mobile application management (MAM), and Hypori address mobile security needs differently.  

Understanding these solutions and their key differences is critical for organizations handling sensitive data, particularly in regulated industries. From there, you must first ask yourself, what are you trying to protect and why, and what do you have to give up for that protection?  

What is MDM?

MDM is a security solution that enables IT administrators to enforce policies, control configurations, and manage mobile devices across an enterprise.  

An MDM solution typically requires the installation of an agent or profile, which grants the organization oversight and control over the entire device. That agent is responsible for protecting that device, which presents a significant level of privacy compromise. The agent needs to know what applications are installed, what websites the user is going to, and much more. This means that the user’s personal information is at risk.  

‍

Key Features of MDM:

• Remote device control: IT teams can remotely lock, wipe, or configure devices.

• Policy enforcement: Ensures devices comply with security policies.

• App & data management: Controls application installations and company data usage.

• Monitoring and compliance: Tracks device status, location, and security posture.

MDM Use Cases:

• MDM is commonly used in corporate-owned devices where organizations need comprehensive control over security settings, software updates, and compliance enforcement.  

What is MAM?

MAM focuses on securing and managing applications and their data rather than the entire device. A MAM solution is particularly beneficial for organizations supporting Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies. It allows employees to use personal devices while maintaining security over corporate applications.

‍

Key Features of MAM:

• App-level security: Restricts data sharing between unmanaged and managed apps.

• Containerization: Isolates work-related applications from personal use.

• Access control: Enforces authentication and conditional access security policies on corporate apps.

• Selective wiping: Allows removal of corporate data within the controlled application without affecting personal content.

MAM Use Cases:

• MAM is ideal for organizations that want to enable enterprise mobility or BYOD without requiring full control over employees’ personal devices. This is to ensure security at the app level.

Where Does Hypori Fit In?

Hypori is a different approach to mobile security. Rather than managing a device or its apps, Hypori provides a virtualized, zero-trust environment where sensitive data never resides on the endpoint.  

Hypori allows organizations to eliminate the risk of being liable because they do not inherit risk from the edge user’s device. MDM and MAM are simple inventory and software management tools. On the other hand, Hypori is a full virtual device that can be accessible from anywhere by anyone.  

Hypori can eliminate the need for MDM or MAM, but it can also work in conjunction with those solutions if the organization requires it.  

‍

Key Features of Hypori:

• Zero trust architecture: No data is stored or processed on the local device. This means that data, such as CUI, is not at risk of being spilled, stolen, or hacked.  

• Virtual mobile environment: Users interact with a cloud-hosted OS, separate from the device. Hypori can allow access to multiple virtual mobile environments from one device versus the need to carry around multiple devices.  

• Reduced attack surface: Collapse mobile device access into a secure cloud infrastructure.

• Total user privacy: You avoid privacy concerns because Hypori does not have control or access to the user’s personal device because there is complete separation.

• Security and compliance: Meets strict security standards like CMMC, HIPAA, and FedRAMP.

Hypori Use Cases: Hypori is particularly valuable for:

• Organizations requiring high security for mobile access (e.g., defense, government, banking, and healthcare industries).  

• Enterprises that seek a BYOD-friendly approach without managing employees’ personal devices while also reducing the overhead costs of issuing multiple mobile devices.  

• Teams handling sensitive or classified information remotely.

Can MDM, MAM, and Hypori Be Used Together?

While MDM and MAM focus on different aspects of mobile security, they can be used together. However, Hypori provides an alternative that eliminates the need for either. It does this by ensuring data never touches the endpoint.  

For organizations that already use MDM or MAM, integrating Hypori can further enhance security by preventing data leakage and reducing compliance burdens.

Final Thoughts

Organizations must assess their security needs and regulatory requirements when choosing between MDM, MAM, and Hypori. If device control is essential, MDM may be the best fit. If app security within BYOD is the priority, MAM is a strong choice.  

For organizations looking to eliminate endpoint risk altogether, Hypori provides a secure, privacy-first alternative that prevents any data from ever residing on the device.

To learn more about how Hypori can help your organization protect sensitive data while supporting secure remote work, request a demo.  

‍

Glossary of Key Terms:

• MDM (Mobile device management): A security solution that manages and controls mobile devices within an enterprise.

• MAM (Mobile application management): A solution that secures and manages specific applications rather than entire devices.

• Virtual mobilization: The use of virtual environments to access enterprise resources securely without storing data on the endpoint.

• BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device): A policy allowing employees to use personal devices for work purposes.

• Zero trust architecture: A security model that assumes no device or user is inherently trustworthy, requiring continuous verification.

• Application-level security: The practice of protecting applications from threats through authentication, encryption, and policy enforcement.

• Containerization: A method of isolating applications and data within a secure environment on a device.

• CUI (Controlled Unclassified Information): Information that is not classified but requires safeguarding or dissemination controls under federal laws, regulations, and government policies. It is often used in the defense and government sectors to protect sensitive but unclassified data from unauthorized access and misuse.

• FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program): A U.S. government program that standardizes security assessment, authorization, and monitoring for cloud products and services.

• CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification): A framework established by the U.S. Department of Defense to enhance the cybersecurity posture of defense contractors and ensure compliance with federal security requirements.

• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act): A U.S. law that establishes national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without consent or knowledge.

Sources:  

1 - https://gs.statcounter.com/platform-market-share/desktop-mobile-tablet?utm_source=chatgpt.com

2 - https://www.statista.com/statistics/1147490/share-adults-use-personal-smartphone-business-activities-by-country/  

3 - https://www.enterpriseappstoday.com/stats/cell-phones-at-workplace-statistics.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com

4 - https://explodingtopics.com/blog/byod-stats?utm_source=chatgpt.com

‍