Several years ago it was usual for companies to insist on regulation issue mobile devices for their employees to use in and out of the workplace. Then came the explosion in Apple iphones and more and more people were relying on their own devices to access work which brought about the trend in bring your own device (BYOD).It became a sort of catch-22 for employers; they could allow people to benefit from their ability to connect to work data and systems 24–7 but accept the potential security risks which naturally go alongside this loosening of the corporate information parameters.
Mobile devices in the workplace are now incredibly varied because of the enormous choices open to consumers; ipads, smartphones and notebooks are all popular and the variety of devices used by workers, of course influences the way in which management manages their security. More and more companies are accepting BYOD and benefitting from it on many levels but still there are risks which are only just being identified and some of which still have no real solution yet.
Disallowing employees to use their own devices can have a detrimental effect on security because there will always be those who slip through the net and continue to access information with their own device regardless of the rules. Instead, allowing and effectively managing BYOD is a far safer way to deal with the increase in security risks which come about through easy access to data both in and out of the office.One of the biggest risks is that of theft and loss of devices along with the potentially sensitive data they contain. Less than 1 in 4 mobile devices may be wiped remotely which poses big questions about just how safe BYOD actually is.
Another risk is that employers often have no access to email accounts on a personal device and in the case of a phishing attack for instance, there is often no way to even detect the risk for the employer which is of course somewhat less than ideal!Corporate filters won’t always work with BYOD and this lack of security puts secure information at risk of malware which could invalidate data privacy protection. Secure Mobile Device Management that doesn’t breach privacy Mobile Device Management (MDM) is changing to cater for the increase in demand from companies who need to take some control over employees’ devices without becoming too “Big Brother” about it.
Most employees would balk at the idea of tracking on their personal device for instance but there are now programmes which narrow down the amount of involvement which IT departments may have in relation to employees’ devices.Employees may be asked to sign agreements which state that in the event of a theft or loss, they must contact their management before their provider to ensure that their employer’s MDM software may access their phone to wipe off sensitive information.Agreeing to allow the use of strong filters for email is another requirement which has grown and is not usually contested by individuals as the MDM software will not allow management or IT Departments to actually see any of their personal information or data, only to control the spam which otherwise might pose a security threat. The give and take of BYOD is shaping up to be a large part of what will ensure the trend is a success and won’t fade out due to teething problems.
If employers and employees together have mutual respect and care for the sensitive information which is stored in any modern mobile device, then the results will only be positive.The author has many years’ experience in IT within blue-chip organisations and writes professionally on a wide range of topics including Software Development, Project Management and Mobile Device Management (MDM), including the growing trend of Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD).
