A smarter approach to BYOD security

Bring your own device (BYOD) arrangements are popular with companies and workers alike in an age of digital transformation and hybrid work. While BYOD offers flexibility for employees and can help companies to reduce costs, allowing users to use their own smartphones and other mobile devices introduces a range of new cyber security concerns to the enterprise.

One of the major challenges that IT managers face with BYOD is that they aren’t assured the level of granular control over the end-user’s device as they typically have on a company-owned smartphone or tablet. In a world of rampant malware threats and social engineering scams, this can expose the company to array of security and compliance risks.

Consider these data points from a recent international study:

• Fifty percent of phishing happens outside of e-mail;
• Forty-three percent of employees have been targeted with work-related phishing attacks;
• Seventy-one percent of employees store sensitive work passwords on their personal phone; and
• Fifty-nine percent use their personal and private messaging apps for work.

Smarter companies recognise that a BYOD-related security breach can lead to the loss of crucial information and damage their reputation. With the lines between personal and work devices becoming blurrier, knowledgeable CIOs are looking for ways to simplify cyber security and ensure that corporate data and systems are secure. There are two equally important elements to consider: BYOD policies and cutting-edge tools.

The key to a secure BOYD environment is creating a set of policies and procedures to guide the end-user community. Policies should provide users with a clear set of dos and don’ts for how they manage their device as well as the data and apps on it. A good policy will include guidance about the following elements:

• Which corporate applications and assets employees are permitted to access from their personal devices;
• The minimum security controls users must implement on their personal devices (for example, PIN code protection, strong passwords and two-factor authentication);
• The company rights for securing altering the device, such as remote wiping for lost or stolen devices;
• Which personal tools and apps, if any, users can use for work purposes;
• Reimbursement models for work-related costs;
• Which apps users may not install on their devices; and
• Employee liability for the leakage of sensitive company data.

Smarter companies will ensure all restrictions, and the reasons behind them, are clear to get end-user buy-in. There is a fine line to be navigated between securing corporate data and systems and reducing unnecessary friction for end-users as they go about their work and lives. Employees should receive frequent training and updates to ensure they’re up to speed on topics such as encryption, malware and authentication.

Once policies and protocols are in place, technology can help to simplify administration for the IT team. Cutting-edge unified endpoint management solutions are a critical component of a smarter BYOD environment. These tools bring together functionality of client management tools (CMT), mobile device management (MDM) and enterprise mobility management (EMM).

Unified endpoint management enables management of mobile devices and PCs in a single console to simplify operations. They enable companies to enforce security policies; secure endpoints and connections; wipe or lock lost or stolen devices; and separate corporate and personal data into containers. This helps organisations to lock down data and systems, while offering employees the freedom to choose their own devices.

Mobile expense management tools, meanwhile, help companies to onboard and off-board employees effortlessly and ensure compliance with regulations and policies. They provide an accurate source of audit data. What’s more, they help companies manage employee profiles with BYOD and COPE features as well as visualise, analyse and control your business expenses.

Do you want to simplify high-performance telecoms? Get in touch to learn how our knowledgeable team can help you prevent bill shock, control costs and automate management of your mobile and cloud FinOps environment.