Implementing a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy.

 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.

Getting a grip on BYOD

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).