How can the use of mobile devices by employees affect the security of an organization as a whole?
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a practice of allowing employees to use their own personal laptops, smartphones, tablets or other devices for work. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a way of enabling employees to work remotely, accessing their business' network and data from home or on the go. Show
The practice of BYOD offers many benefits but it is not without risk, especially when it comes to security and data protection. Advantages of BYODFor some businesses, a successful, well-controlled BYOD environment can:
With proper use and safety precautions, allowing employees to use their own devices for work can be an ideal workplace policy for some businesses. However, where BYOD is not completely understood and adequately regulated, it can seriously threaten the security of business data and systems. BYOD issues around security and privacyBYOD raises a number of data protection concerns and can lead to vulnerabilities in information security. For example:
From a legal perspective, the responsibility for protecting personal information rests with the data controller (ie the organisation), not the device owner. Read the Information Commissioner's Office guidelines on BYOD and data protection and be aware of your duties under the data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). BYOD and home working best practicesIf your staff are working from home and using their own devices to access company software, you should:
If your staff are using their own devices and their own software to access your business applications and data, bear in mind the increased potential for your systems and data to be compromised. For example:
Consider these security risks and put in place measures to mitigate them to avoid potential data breaches. Create a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policyRolling out a BYOD programme in your organisation requires three critical components:
Before developing your policy, you should conduct a thorough risk assessment and carefully consider your responsibility for data access, processing and storage. A BYOD policy should aim to protect the security and integrity of your company data and technology infrastructure. It should cover things like:
As well as a policy, you should at the very least provide your employees with clear guidance on:
It is important that staff understand when and how they should report potential data breaches if these occur on their personal devices. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has detailed guidance for organisations considering integrating BYOD into their practices. What are the risks of mobile technology for the employees?Employees aren't just bringing their mobile devices to the workplace—they're living on them. For many, checking their phones is the first and last thing they do every day.. Physical access. ... . Malicious Code. ... . Device Attacks. ... . Communication Interception. ... . Insider Threats.. What are the risks and challenges of mobile device security?Security Challenges in Mobile Devices: Common Threats. Malicious Hotspots: Here, a criminal can set up a “free” public hotspot. ... . Man-in-the-Middle Attacks: ... . Shadow IT: ... . Phishing/Spoofing: ... . Stolen Devices:. What security considerations we must consider when the use mobile devices is implemented for an organization?5 Ways Companies Can Improve Mobile Device Security. Establish a Mobile Device Security Policy. ... . Establish a Bring Your Own Device Policy. ... . Keep the Devices Updated with the most Current Software and Antivirus Programs. ... . Backup Device Content on a Regular Basis. ... . Choose Passwords Carefully.. What are some of the mobile device security methods that users should employ?How to Secure Your Mobile Device in Six Steps. Use strong passwords/biometrics. ... . Ensure public or free Wi-Fi is protected. ... . Utilize VPN. ... . Encrypt your device. ... . Install an Antivirus application. ... . Update to the latest software.. |