Keeping Company Data Secure in the BYOD Era

Do you remember when your personal cell phone, tablet, or laptop became an indispensable tool for doing your job? Chances are you’ve been using your own devices so long it’s hard to remember working without them. When the events of 2020 made working remotely a necessity for many Americans, the economy at-large became aware of what a few industries already knew—the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) business model has clear advantages for employers as long as companies take the steps needed to maintain data security.

BYOD Boom

First, let’s look at few BYOD facts:

• According to CBS News, 67% of workers in the U.S. use their own devices on the job, whether or not their companies have BYOD policies in place.
• Regardless of organizational size, 87% of companies polled by Syntonic in 2020 reported that their operations relied on employees accessing an average of 5.2 business related apps on their smartphones per day.
• Fliplet data shows companies gain about 240 hours of work per year because of BYOD accessibility, or about $5,114 worth of extra work per employee.
• The BYOD market share is projected to reach almost $367 billion by 2022, according to Forbes.
• The apps most commonly used for work are calendars and contacts to manage appointments as well as emails. Crowd Research states 45% of employees use their phones to access data and documents.
• However, Trustlook reports that only 39% of companies have formal BYOD policies, indicating a substantial security risk. In fact, only 14% of companies have mobile security applications available to protect sensitive information.

Setting Secure Standards

Reaping the rewards of BYOD means devising strategies to offset the inherent risks. If you’re serious about cybersecurity—and you should be—implementing the same enterprise-level defenses used at the office on mobile devices, even in the field or at home, is feasible, but preparation is required to pull it off.

Start by drafting clear policies and security procedures for the use of personal devices. IT decision makers in upper management may naturally see the BYOD benefits to productivity and the budget, but operational security won’t come with a rubber stamp approval. In order to create unmistakable standards for the use of smartphones or other devices for work, companies should include the input and concerns from in-house IT specialists, human resources managers, and even legal counsel before putting any policies into practice.

Consider virtualization as a viable option. Migrating your office to a cloud environment enables remote employees to access the information they need while operating within the company’s IT infrastructure, like a security blanket. Above all, make data encryption required at all levels of the organization.

Implement some form of monitoring that ensures best practices are being followed without intruding on employees’ personal information. Outline what steps must be followed to secure data in the event of an employee’s resignation or termination. If a device used for work is lost or otherwise compromised, have capabilities in place to remotely lock it, wipe its data, or reset its passwords and access.

Once BYOD policies are in place, take the time to thoroughly educate employees about what is and isn’t permissible when using personal devices wherever they’re working. Many data breaches occur because of human error, like accessing an unauthorized website, downloading files from emails that appear legitimate, or simply losing a device. Walk staff members through each security procedure.

If you need professional assistance developing BYOD practices, implementing cybersecurity measures, or virtualizing your office, the experts at CMIT Solutions of Clayton are always available to address your questions and concerns.