Many companies are offering bring your own device (BYOD) programs and many employees are taking advantage of them. BYOD is beneficial to both, as having employees use their own device means one less item that the business needs to purchase and maintain. The cost benefit is no mystery, as well. For employees, it’s less devices to carry and using a device they’re familiar with.
With bring your own device comes some security concerns. Consumer-turned-employee devices are impacting IT in ways managers weren’t expecting. Networks have to be more secure, yet run efficiently. Any information stored in the cloud that needs to be accessed should be accessed easily, but, for the sake of repetition, needs to be secure. Employees who need the access should be able to have it, no matter what device they’re on. On the employee side, however, security is just as important.
Device owners should employ strong passwords to lock their device, as well as their own encryption software to protect their personal information. Apps that haven’t been verified should never be downloaded, nor should employees use corporate personal info for other reasons than actual work. Above all, if a device is stolen, it should be reported immediately. Companies can use BYOD and mobile device management software to immediately lock the device to prevent information falling into the wrong hands, literally.
The key to addressing security concerns that BYOD presents is for companies to adopt new and fresh access control policies and authentication technologies that are specifically adapted to mobile devices. Tablets and smartphones have already begun developing unique characteristics that facilitate the use of highly developed authentication methods that were not practical or viable in the past.
Mobile device management solutions, like that of Fiberlink’s MaaS360, makes securing networks, apps and devices rather simple, increasing security, productivity and employee satisfaction without compromising a network.