Mobile device security, device management, and policy enforcement are described in a cloud based system where the “cloud” is used to pervasively enforce security and policy and perform device management regardless of device type, platform, location, etc. A cloud based method for mobile device security, device management, and policy enforcement includes, responsive to configuring the mobile device for connectivity to the cloud system, monitoring data between the mobile device and the external network, wherein the cloud system connects to the mobile device independent of a type, platform, or operating system associated with the mobile device; analyzing the data in real-time in the cloud system thereby not impacting performance of the mobile device; and controlling exchange of the data, in the cloud system, between the mobile device and the external network based on the analyzing.