5 Tips for Avoiding Security Issues with BYOD

Executive Summary (What is BYOD)

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Technology has untethered us from the traditional nine-to-five, as today’s digital landscape allows business owners and employees alike to work remotely, customize hours, and multitask like no generation has done before. From a single device, we are able to access the resources needed for both our personal and professional lives.

The practice of using a personal device such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet for work purposes is often referred to as BYOD, or bring your own device. Using one device is undeniably convenient, but by doing so, you increase the risk of sensitive files sliding into the wrong hands, miscalculating expense reports, and blurring the lines between a healthy work-life balance. Accordingly, business owners and employees alike should follow these five tips to keep their personal and professional lives safe.

1.0 Keep Your Devices Separated

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1.1 Dual SIM:

When it comes to healthy business practices, it’s often helpful to keep your personal and professional lives separate, even at the device level. A good starting point is to use Dual SIM.

Dual SIM allows users to connect their professional mobile numbers and personal cell phone numbers onto the same devices and decide which accounts to use for accessing data, making calls, and sending SMS. 

1.2 Benefits: 

• Having separate numbers for business and personal calls
• Easier roaming by being able to access a foreign network
• Adding local data plans when traveling outside countries or regions
• Having separate voice and data plans

1.3 Not a “Cure All”: 

It’s essential to understand that Dual SIM doesn’t necessarily protect you from malicious hackers or an inside actor tapping into your network. Whether you’re using Android or Apple, paying close attention to how and where you use your device is vital.

Furthermore, when it comes to laptops, you should also consider either setting up partitions or investing in a virtual infrastructure solution. Partitioning allows users to install two operating systems, one for work and one for personal use. This strategy can be useful for employees who need to install specific software for their jobs, but don’t necessarily want it running in the background while they’re browsing at home.

2.0  Protect Your Passwords

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2.1 Best Practices:

Regardless of what combination of business and personal devices you are using, most still require a username and password for access. While it’s common to assume that your information is not likely to be compromised, it only takes one small mishap to infiltrate an entire system. Thus, following safe password practices ensures safer private and professional information. Several password best practices include, but are not limited to:

•  Avoiding use of personal information, such as birthdays, names, or phone numbers
• Changing your password if you suspect a there has been a breach
• Choosing passwords with a mix of capitals and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols
• Implementing multi-step authentication
• Using different passwords for each account 

3.0 Social Engineering

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3.1 What is it:

 Social engineering refers to the act of deceiving or impersonating a person so as to steal private information and/or money, or to install malware onto their device(s). These malevolent campaigns have caused millions of dollars in losses to businesses around the globe. According to a recent report from the FBI, cybercriminals have stolen more than $2 billion in 2020 alone

3.2 Keeping Your Employees Safe:

To prevent your employees and fellow business executives from succumbing to social engineering scams, encourage them to immediately delete emails that request passwords or financial information, ignore odd requests for help or handouts of money, update spam settings, install anti-virus software and firewalls, and be wary of messages from unknown senders.

4.0 Secure Your Networks

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4.1 Avoid Public Wi-fi:

Browsing on a secure network should be considered paramount whenever you’re browsing sensitive information. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. The fact is, when someone is in need of Wi-Fi, just about any connection will do—be it from a cafe, subway, airport, or bar.

According to Raytheon, 72% of 21-to-36-year-olds (currently the largest demographic in the workplace) have connected to public (no-password-required) Wi-Fi. This figure should be a serious concern for both employees and employers alike. Cybercriminals can tap into unprotected Wi-fi networks, access sensitive information, and even transfer malware onto connected devices.

5.0 Utilize Backups and Disaster Recovery

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 5.1 Backup Recovery Plan

When you’re sharing a device for work and play, it’s crucial that you know how to find your device in the event of a loss or theft. If you’re a business owner, you need to be proactive in communicating the protocol to your employees. If you don’t have a backup and disaster recovery plan, now is the time to create and/or invest in one

Both Apple and Windows provide features that allow users to track lost or stolen devices. If you’re using iOS devices, be sure your employees have Apple IDs. This feature allows you to set up Find My iPhone which uses GPS tracking to find lost devices. If you are using Microsoft turn your location services on and your IT administrator will be able to track any lost or stolen devices.

No matter your device and account, know the protocol and follow it. Having an outline of actionable steps to recover a device is a vital step in keeping good cyber hygiene, and will ultimately protect your proprietary information should you lose your device.

6.0 Conclusion

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Whether you’re a business owner or an employee, your first line of defense is always education. It is no longer an option to be cyber-illiterate, as it only takes one vicious malware attack to crush an entire organization. You’ve already made the right first step by reading this piece and learning how to stay safe. The next step is getting your whole team on the same page.

If you or your team has any questions on how to properly keep your employees’ devices safe, Verify! is here to help. We specialize in helping companies manage their devices and setting up the right plan for their team. For a free consultation about your specific plan, feel free to reach us by calling (888) 841-4145, or visiting https://www.verifyservices.net/contact/