The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend has promulgated throughout the corporate landscape. Companies everywhere are canceling large wireless contracts as they allow employees to select their own devices while deploying mobile device management solutions to ensure proper access to the enterprise network. Without clearly communicated and enforced policies in place, however, this new and amazing opportunity could turn into a BYOD nightmare.

This very concept was recently featured in a Forbes post as the author explored a few strategies proven to be effective in preventing such nightmares. As the increase in mobility takes hold and companies empower employees with control over their device selection, users often end up with sensitive corporate data on a personal device.

If an effective mobile device management strategy and solution are not in place, a company could find itself facing criminal charges if certain information becomes accessible on these personal devices. For multinational companies, the threat is even greater. As data privacy and transfer laws vary from one country to the next, cross-border investigations get that much more complicated.

There are certain strategies that can be put in place to avoid such a nightmare BYOD experience. A company should first leverage mobile device management to ensure clear visibility and control over those devices that access corporate data. Then, it’s important to map all corporate data flows to understand where information originates and where it is stored. This helps in not only identifying the extent of exposure, but also the appropriate solutions.

An up-to-date classification system is also important. This requires an organization to determine what information is sensitive so that access to it is restricted. Such an approach reduces the risk that this information will wind up on a personal device. The alternative is to provide company-owned devices. It bucks the trend for BYOD, but it prevents unauthorized access and ensures control stays in the hands of the company and not the employee base.

One of the most important things to do is establish a BYOD policy that is clearly communicated to all employees and enforced on a regular basis. Any plan without teeth won’t stick and if users don’t know or understand expectations, they are more likely to fall short. Companies have to determine what fits best with their current rules and data privacy laws.

Finally, companies have to copy all data when an employee leaves and then wipe the device clean. It’s normal for companies to keep copies of corporate documents in case they are needed for legal or tax purposes. The same applies to the personally owned device accessing the corporate network and data.

While these steps won’t guarantee complete BYOD success, they will at least get a company launching such a strategy off on the right foot by forcing leaders to think about specific threats and resolutions before they occur.