Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a solution that has grown more popular over the past decade or so, primarily because more employees already own devices capable of running work-related applications. The employee gets to use a device they already know and love, while the employer saves money from the cost of equipping that employee. That said, the security risks associated with BYOD can undermine an ill-prepared implementation and open the door to potential legal action.
Let’s go over these issues and how they surface.
The 3 Reasons Your Employees’ Devices Are Insecure
Problem #1: You Don’t Have Control Over the Devices
At the end of the day, the device belongs to your employee, not your business, and this changes how much control you have over it.
You can’t control whether the device is protected by a passcode or kept up to date. You can’t control the apps or files downloaded to it, meaning the device could be at risk of a malicious attack. If an infected BYOD device connects to your network, it’s game over.
All of this means that your business needs to have some sort of policy in place to protect itself from BYOD, including security measure stipulations for your employees. This would give you some of that control back without taking over your employee’s phone.
Problem #2: People Leave All the Time
What happens when someone quits your team? Do they just walk off with your business’ data on their devices?
They shouldn’t be, and that begs the question: what are you doing about this issue? You can’t control the devices, but at the same time, you need some measure of reassurance that you can protect your company’s data. They might have client lists, financial details, and strategic plans on their devices, along with all their personal data.
While you can’t legally reset their devices, hoping that employees will simply delete this data isn't a plan either. Control in these circumstances is paramount.
Problem #3: Your Data Gets Mixed With Theirs
This mix of personal and business data creates complications, particularly if the device is ever subject to a data leak or security breach.
It’s remarkably easy to send the wrong email attachment, even with the best intentions. Your employees might send a confidential PDF to someone in their personal life that contains sensitive information about your business. From there, it’s hard to get the cat back in the bag. Your clients and regulating authorities are not going to care about excuses if these accidents occur.
If you don’t have a way to cleanly separate your employees’ personal data from professional data, you could end up putting that data at considerable risk.
Mobile Device Management is the Key to Solving These Issues
A mobile device management solution can provide your business with a single tool that, paired with the right policy, can protect your business’ data, even with BYOD in place.
Here’s how it works:
- Your BYOD policy outlines the terms: the signing employee agrees that, in exchange for using a personal device, the business can secure the company data on it—no more, no less.
- A mobile device management tool is installed on the device, creating an encrypted container. This allows users to have work profiles that keep personal and professional information separate.
- This container stores all company resources and applications, safely separated from personal data.
- Should that employee leave your company, it is a simple matter to delete the container, fully divesting the device from the business.
It’s amazing how such a simple solution can make such a big difference for your data security.
Implement BYOD Today
If your business is interested in implementing BYOD, it might feel like you have a lot to consider. We can make it simpler and easier, from implementation to management. To learn more about how Virtual Business Solutions can help you build out and deploy a successful BYOD strategy, reach out to us at (504) 840-9800.
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