Living in a world of BYODs: What to do to Mitigate the Risks

In the technological era, most employees are likely to be bringing their own devices into work. These could be smartphones, tablets, or personal laptops. Conversely,the COVID-19 pandemic has seen work devices being taken home, or employees using their personal devices to do work related tasks as they work from home.

Some businesses might even prefer that employees use their own devices to cut equipment and IT costs, as well as increasing productivity when employees have access to company information from anywhere. It can also increase employee mobility and satisfaction when they are allowed to work on their own devices that they might be more familiar and comfortable with.But the ease of a BYOD environment also comes with its own risks and challenges.

But with the right BYOD solutions in place, these risks and challenges can be mitigated. Here are some of the challenges you might face and what to face them head-on.

Challenge #1: Controlling downloads of third party apps and softwares

In early 2020, an app called CovidLock promised downloaders access to a coronavirus map tracker to Android users. But when downloaded, it locked users’ contacts, pictures, videos and social media accounts and prevented access to them until the user paid a ransom in Bitcoin.

If an employee conducts confidential work on his personal smartphone or tablet and downloads a third party app that gets access to said confidential data, it can be catastrophic for a business. The solution to this is the implementation of a mobile device management (MDM) plan that limits the use of company data and ensures employees follow the security protocols of the company. It also allows employers to have greater control over the technologies being used by their employees. At the same time, the privacy of employees is protected by keeping text messages, photos and videos restricted from view.

Challenge #2: Data leakage through misplaced or stolen devices

Your employee might lose a personal or a company device or have it stolen. It happens. But more than the loss of the equipment, you should be worried about the loss of the data stored on these devices. While cloud computing has made it easier to retrieve data, your data might still end up in the wrong hands.

An MDM program can also allow your IT department to remotely wipe a device clean once it has been reported missing or stolen or from the devices of former employees.

Challenge #3: Cyber attacks through unsecured public Wi-Fi hotspots

“Work from home” doesn’t always mean that your employee will be working from a secured network at their house. They could be using a free public network at their nearest cafe, or using their community library to get work done. This can put their device at risk of being intercepted by hackers or malware, compromising the security of your data.

Using VPNs and app segregation systems can mitigate the risk of a data breach, by separating work and personal use of devices. Training employees regarding the value and consequences of data breaches can also help influence employee behaviour.Get the help of a professional managed IT service provider to create sound and secure BYOD solutions for your organisation or small business.