As hybrid work models are getting popular among businesses, employees feel more comfortable and productive in using their own devices for work. While it saves the cost of operation to an extent for the businesses, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) also has a few drawbacks. Entrepreneurs and managers need to follow the right approach to identify the potential risks and draft an effective security plan. But before that, let’s learn more about BYOD.
What Is BYOD?
BYOD or bring your own device policy allows the employees to use their personal devices such as phones, laptops, USBs, or tablets for professional work. As many companies are operating remotely or using hybrid work models, BYOD has helped facilitate their operations to a great extent. According to statistics, after the pandemic, the bring your own device market is expected to reach $300 billion by the end of 2022.
The employees using their own devices are allowed access to corporate information anytime and anywhere using the company network. However, this also involves a major risk to the company’s security.
Requirement Of BYOD Security Plan:
Though the growth of bringing your own device plan is tremendous, a survey shows the following risks associated with it.
● 15% of employees have access to sensitive corporate data from non-work-sanctioned devices, leading to data thefts and breaches.
● 65% of companies are unable to wipe off the information from devices remotely.
● 76% of organizations do not encrypt the personal devices of employees.
● 54% of organizations do not include personal devices in their backup plan.
In addition, some employees also use their phones or laptops to access the company network or application, even when strictly prohibited. To avoid such circumstances, creating a security plan is important.
BYOD Security Plan
Luckily, you can minimize these risks by amending your existing policy and including a security plan. Below are some measures that you can include in your plan:
● Encrypt Important Data At Rest And During Transit
Using personal devices for company operations means data is out of the premise’s control. Therefore, encrypt all the sensitive or confidential data before you provide any access to an employee. It will ensure that the data is safe, even if the device is lost, stolen, damaged or if the information is detained over unsecured networks.
It is noteworthy that some companies believe that using strong passwords is enough for information security. However, implementing encryption will ensure data privacy even during transit, prevent unauthorized access, and significantly lower the risk of security breaches.
● Keep Any Eye Over Employee Activity
Another step you can take is paying attention to employee activity even when they are not in the office. Indeed, it is not as easy as monitoring employees over a surveillance camera. However, professionals such as ethical hackers can help you out here. You can hire a phone hacker to learn about employees’ data or applications. It will also help you learn about the application or social media platforms they use and the exchange of business-related information.
● Opt For MDM Solution
MDM, better known as Mobile Device Management, provides managers with a balance between employee freedom and employer control. It allows the managers to deploy, integrate and secure devices into a network and monitor them centrally. This way, employers will know how well the employees work and measure their productivity. At the same time, employee privacy in their own device stays protected. Nevertheless, it is critical that the user experience provided by your MDM solution is appropriate, so ask for employee feedback frequently.
● Blacklisting To Restrict Employee Access
Blacklisting is the process of prohibition or blocking certain applications that can cause a threat to company data. As not every employee is well versed with the technical threats, installation or use of certain applications can cause security issues. Blacklisting will restrict employee access to such apps to protect the data and improve employee productivity. For instance, restricting access to YouTube, movie streaming platforms, online games, and more.
Suppose you are hesitant to use blacklisting on your employee’s personal devices. In that case, you can provide them with a list of applications they are not allowed to use, especially during working hours.
Tip: You can also request employees to install antivirus software to improve the system’s safety, particularly when installing a new program or app.
Summing Up
It would be wise to take appropriate measures as soon as you learn about the potential risk to your business. It is important that your employees have the freedom to complete their tasks. Still, it would be best if you also control their activities, especially related to the company network and data use.
Author Bio:
Jack Smith is a professional content writer with 7 years of experience in tech and business content and has been working with Submitcore for the past three years. As the industries are advancing incredibly, he aims to use easy language to provide information about the latest tech, business, and digital trends. It allows him to establish better connections with readers, ensuring a proper understanding of the subject matter.
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