areena gIn an era where ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) is common in Indian retail, the ‘silent threat’ of unmanaged devices is growing.
According to recent industry analysis, in 2025, Indian retailers faced more than 1,500 cybersecurity incidents, resulting in ₹5,000 crore in downtime and reputational damage.
As UPI usage increased to over 100 billion transactions annually on mobile devices in the retail sector, the lack of visibility into retail devices created risks of malware, data leaks, and violations of the newly enforced DPDP Act Rules (2025).
That’s when Retail Mobile Device Management (MDM) steps in, enabling remote wipe, app lockdown, geofencing, and real-time tracking, reducing incidents by up to 40%.
This blog breaks down the must-have retail MDM features and the real benefits for Indian retailers.
Why 800+ Retailers Trust Mitigata for MDM Security
We’re India’s only full-stack cyber resilience company built specifically for businesses like yours. We offer a range of services, including proactive security, insurance, and compliance.
What sets us apart:
- 30% below market rates: Enterprise-grade MDM protection without the enterprise price tag, starting at just ₹1,900 per endpoint.
- Fast deployment: Go from unprotected to fully secured in days not weeks
- Seamless integration: Works with your existing POS, inventory, and billing systems
- 24/7 expert support: Cyber experts available 24/7, unlike AI chatbots
- 100% client retention: Our customers stay because our solutions actually work
Control Every Device. Protect Every Endpoint.
We handpick the best tools for your needs and handle end-to-end implementation without disruption.
The Real Cost of Unmanaged Devices
Here’s what happened to retailers in 2025:
| Incident Type | Frequency | Average Loss per Incident |
|---|---|---|
| POS malware infection | 580 cases | ₹8.5 lakhs |
| Lost/stolen devices with data | 620 cases | ₹4.2 lakhs |
| Unauthorised app installations | 340 cases | ₹2.8 lakhs |
Core MDM Features for Retail That Matter
Here are the core features of MDM that every retailer must know to stay compliant and secure in 2026.
Remote Data Wipe
As soon as you notify the authorities of a stolen device, you can instantly erase sensitive data from the device remotely. Technically known as ‘Remote Sanitisation’, this feature acts as a digital kill-switch.
Customer information, payment details, and access to stock can easily be removed before anyone can misuse them.
App Usage Control
Your billing tablet is only supposed to run your billing app, not games, social networks, or random stuff that could carry viruses. This is often called ‘Kiosk Mode’. It ensures staff cannot download unverified APKs or access phishing links via WhatsApp Web.
| Without MDM | With MDM |
|---|---|
| Staff installs 15+ personal apps | Only approved work apps are allowed |
| Unknown apps drain battery | Optimised performance |
| Malware risk from random downloads | Zero unauthorised installations |
| IT discovers issues weeks later | Real-time alerts for violations |
Geofencing Controls
Set virtual boundaries around your store. If a device leaves that area, it automatically locks or sends you an alert.
What it does: A staff member takes a company tablet home “to do some work.” The tablet crosses your geofence at 9 PM.
You get a message right away. The tablet automatically enters a limited mode that prevents access to sensitive information outside the store. For logistics chains, this also helps track delivery efficiency and prevent device hoarding.
Zero-Touch Provisioning
When setting up new phones, logging into accounts, downloading apps, and configuring settings takes forever.
With zero-touch provisioning, you unbox a device, turn it on, and it automatically configures itself with all your apps, settings, and security policies.
Time comparison for setting up 10 new billing tablets:
- Manual setup: 4-5 hours
- Zero-touch MDM: 20 minutes
Switch to a Smarter Way of Managing Devices
Get world-class MDM solutions with 24/7 support, and fast onboarding without wasting your team’s time.
For Multi-Location Chains
Suppose you operate 25 stores across Karnataka. Each store has 5-8 devices. That’s 125-200 devices to manage. Your IT team of 3 spends entire weeks manually updating software. With a centralised MDM system, you can push security patches to all 200 devices instantly, ensuring no store is left vulnerable to zero-day exploits.
What changes with MDM:
| Task | Before MDM | After MDM |
|---|---|---|
| Software update across all devices | 3 people × 2 weeks | 1 person × 2 hours |
| Finding which devices need attention | Impossible without visiting stores | Dashboard shows everything |
| Responding to a lost device | Call store → Call police → Hope for the best | Remote wipe in 2 minutes |
| Training new store managers | 2 days at HQ | Self-service guides on the device |
| Compliance audit preparation | 3 weeks of data collection | Generate reports in 1 hour |
Conclusion
Unmanaged devices put your business at risk, whether you run three stores or three hundred.
With UPI’s growth and stricter enforcement of the DPDP Act, the 1,500+ retailers who faced incidents in 2025 learned costly lessons you can avoid.
Contact Mitigata today! We’ll assess your device setup, identify vulnerabilities, and show how MDM can protect your business.
akshit k
deepthi s