The proliferation of mobile apps for texting doesn’t just affect the consumer world – it has profound implications for enterprises too. Mobile collaboration holds enormous potential to make business operations more productive and agile. But messaging apps that were developed for consumers typically lack the features enterprises require to safeguard data, ensure employee privacy and enable compliant information management.  

Enterprise security officers are looking for new ways to protect business data in messages and call logs, and many are turning to secure messaging solutions. If you’re evaluating messaging apps, make sure the solution you choose addresses these critical issues:

• Security: Hacking is a huge problem, so it’s important to make sure messaging solutions encrypt data with strong keys – at rest and in transit. Most consumer apps don’t use strong encryption like AES-256 or enable secure data transit. They leave users open to a variety of attacks, including Man in the Middle schemes, which enable hackers to capture data and passwords. Look for a messaging solution that uses strong encryption standards and protects data in transit.

• Privacy: Employees can be more efficient when they use personal devices for work, but it exposes their private phone numbers to strangers. Look for a messaging solution that provides separate, company-issued numbers so employees can conduct business on personal devices safely. Consumer apps also typically mine contact data, which compromises security for suppliers, customers and employees. Find an enterprise messaging solution that eliminates this risk to maintain business information integrity.

• Archives: Businesses are required to comply with eDiscovery requests and meet HIPAA, FINRA and SOX data protection and retention standards. That means the enterprise messaging solution must enable effective archiving. Look for a solution that maintains a separate workspace on the mobile device to manage business contacts, call logs, voice mail recordings, text messages and attachments. This creates a way to efficiently archive business data, wipe data from lost or stolen devices and comply with audits without compromising employees’ personal information.

Thanks to the consumerization of IT, BYOD is here to stay. That means security professionals must be proactive about protecting company data and employee privacy while enabling use of the mobile features that make companies more agile. Security professionals must think about how to manage and control the information contained on employee devices, address the risk of lost or stolen devices and protect personal data that resides on devices that are also used for business purposes.

A well-designed enterprise app for secure messaging and calling that enables separation of employee and company data is the solution. As you consider your options, make sure the solution you choose has strong security features, including encryption and safe data transit functions. Choose a solution that protects employee privacy, and make sure your solution enables effective archiving. With the right enterprise mobile collaboration solution, your company can reap the benefits of BYOD while effectively managing the risks.