“This is becoming an issue at the fore for many consumers. Now it’s one that really these companies need to handle head on,” Curran said. Those steps are in the “early days,” he said, though he added that vendors seem more vocal about their security capabilities at CES this year than in years past.

“There is concern in the industry about the projected growth rates for 2016. These types of consumer barriers slowing the growth is one that companies are taking very seriously,” Curran said.

For a solution provider and system integrator like Accenture, Curran said there are two roles such a company must play. The first is as an employer, making sure it's enabling a secure mobile workforce. Second, Curran said Accenture needs to play a role educating and enabling its clients around secure mobile and IoT devices.

“We look at it both as a consumer as well as a company who is very focused on helping companies develop the right services and capabilities to delight customers,” Curran said. 

PUBLISHED JAN. 6, 2016