Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies have become increasingly popular with organizations across a wide swath of industries. These policies offer businesses a convenient, cost-effective practice, allowing employees to use their personal devices (smart phones, tablets, laptops, and more) for work purposes.
From ensuring a remote and/or hybrid workforce has the equipment they need with minimal hassle, to cost-saving measures that reduce hardware overhead, there are a number of reasons why BYOD policies benefit companies and their employees. However, while BYOD policies offer convenience and economy, there are significant risks involved that must be acknowledged and mitigated. Understanding the real-world application of a BYOD security policy balanced with access and compliance is essential to keeping your organization’s information safe and ensuring employees have the tools they need to stay productive.
Why is BYOD Security Important?
In recent years, remote and hybrid work has increased. As remote and hybrid work continue to grow, the need for stronger device security has also increased. In scenarios where a company provides employees with digital devices, they are typically equipped with vetted software, virus protection, and other means of keeping them secure. However, when employees opt-into BYOD policies, companies need to ensure those devices adhere to secure, compliant processes that safeguard proprietary information accessed on those devices.
When employees work outside of a centralized location companies must take measures and precautions in order to keep BYOD devices secure at the same level that they would with company-sponsored equipment. Without proper security, BYOD devices introduce risks to the entire company – not just one employee’s device.
The Rise of BYOD in the Workplace
An increase in remote and hybrid work across virtually every industry has dramatically accelerated BYOD usage. According to a recent survey focused on remote work and device management trends, approximately 69% of employees use personal devices for work. Of those respondents, 24% stated that they work in either a fully remote or hybrid environment.
Businesses trust and rely on their employees to access email and business applications from personal devices.
The widespread adoption of cloud-based applications and storage has contributed to the rise of BYOD, making it easy for employees to instantly access information critical to their daily tasks. Cloud-based services and software can be downloaded directly onto a personal device, rendering company-sponsored hardware irrelevant.
Security and troubleshooting BYOD devices remain a top concern for organizations and their employees. In addition to giving a company’s global workforce shared access to files and data, cloud-based technology also provides security benefits that reduce strain on an organization’s IT team. Cloud-based technology makes it easier to automatically deploy security updates instead of manually installing security patches on a device-by-device basis.
Key BYOD Security Risks & Challenges
While adopting a BYOD policy offers benefits to both employers and employees, it also comes with several risks and challenges. Companies who allow employees to use their own devices need to mitigate risks regarding security, unauthorized access to devices and data, and to ensure compliance.
Data Privacy & Compliance Issues
Regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, GLBA, and PCI DSS exist across specific industries to keep personal and sensitive information secure. BYOD policies can complicate compliance because it’s more difficult to secure personal devices in the same manner as company-sponsored devices. While an employer can have complete control over a company-sponsored device, they only have partial control over BYODs since they are also used for personal purposes and can be used by other family members, may connect to unsecured networks, and access unauthorized websites.
Given the multitude of benefits that BYODs have for businesses and employees, it’s critically important to create and enforce strict security guidelines to protect any device used to access sensitive information. High-impact cybersecurity protections for BYODs include application control, (specific rules around which apps can be downloaded and accessed) containerization (dividing parts of the device with separate passwords), and data encryption (protecting sensitive files at-rest and in-transit). Leveraging cybersecurity protocols across BYODs can help organizations stay compliant with legal requirements and safeguard proprietary information.
Device Theft & Unauthorized Access
The risk of a lost or stolen device is higher with BYOD’s simply because they are used outside of a central location and outside of typical working hours. When a BYOD is lost or stolen, all data and information on that device is immediately at risk if proper precautions and protocols aren’t in place. Without role-based access, multi-factor authentication, or remote wipe, any data that’s accessible to an authorized user is susceptible to a breach.
Phishing, Malware, & Network Vulnerabilities
The average person doesn’t often think about cyber threats to their personal information. As a result, they don’t typically take extensive measures to secure their personal devices on a regular
basis. In instances where employees use a BYOD for personal and business use, they are potentially at a higher risk for phishing scams, malware, and network vulnerabilities while using unsecured networks like public WiFi. Cybercriminals know that they can easily and quickly exploit BYOD environments that aren’t secured and take advantage of that regularly.
Lack of IT Control
A lack of proper IT control and oversight significantly increases security vulnerabilities such as unapproved application use or unsecured cloud-based services. Without IT management and security measures for BYOD’s, a company risks data breaches via access on the device itself and also leaves itself vulnerable to cyber threats like hacking and malware. Professional IT BYOD management allows for security features, but also involves regular maintenance to ensure operations remain optimal.
How to Create an Effective BYOD Security Policy
If your organization allows employees to use personal devices for work purposes, it’s mission-critical to have clear rules and boundaries set forth in a defined BYOD security policy. These boundaries and guidelines protect your company, data, and employees.
Define Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs)
Clearly outline which applications and websites are permitted to use and specify what kinds of data can be accessed or stored on devices. Some applications are automatically configured to access data on the device just by downloading them, which can put the device itself at risk. Be very specific about what can be downloaded, what apps can be used during work hours, and be sure to have employees sign off on the policy indicating their agreement.
Implement Strong Authentication & Access Controls
Role-based access helps secure sensitive data by making sure that only the employees who need to access specific information have access to that data. Other employees can request permission to access on an as-needed basis. By limiting access to just a select few individuals, organizations can decrease the likelihood of data breaches.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is another proactive measure that secures data by ensuring that only authorized employees can access a device and company information. MFA requires users to provide two or more forms of identity verification to access information. These identification methods can ask a user to respond to a text, email, or call to verify their identity – or even ask for a fingerprint or facial scan to confirm identity before they’re granted access.
Require Mobile Device Management (MDM) Solutions
Mobile device management (MDM) software manages and secures smartphones and tablets regardless of operating system. MDM solutions protect physical devices against cyber threats and data loss. Miradore’s MDM software enhances the security of devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops with features such as remote device wipe, encryption, and monitoring to simplify securing BYODs.
Employee Training & Awareness
A company’s cybersecurity policy is only as strong as the employees’ understanding and willingness to uphold it. Conducting ongoing cybersecurity training for employees is a critical component of a proactive BYOD policy.
When building a cybersecurity training program, it should educate employees on your company’s rules and regulations, as well as broader, industry-wide compliance standards that inform the rationale behind these policies. Hold periodic trainings as a refresher for existing employees and new hires, and to also inform them around any updates to policies.
Some common areas of cybersecurity training for BYODs include:
- Instruction on how to separate personal and business data
- Plans and procedures in the event a device is lost or stolen
- The importance of secure network connectivity
- Deployment of patches and updates
Industry Compliance Considerations for BYOD Security
Many industries have specific security measures in place to protect sensitive and personal data. Healthcare regulations like HIPAA, finance regulations such as GLBA and PCI DSS, and data collection security like GDPR are all security standards that businesses must legally follow. These regulations are in place to protect sensitive data, such as banking and investment statements, as well as personal health records.
For businesses adopting a BYOD approach, it’s essential to remain compliant with industry regulations by conducting regular audits, policy updates, and deploying multi-layered cybersecurity policy. Organizations must establish clear guidelines to ensure BYOD devices are as secure as company-issued ones. Security measures such as multi-factor authentication, role-based access and control, VPN requirements, encrypted communication, and general system monitoring are especially helpful in ensuring BYODs remain compliant with industry standards.
AI and The Future of BYOD Security
Because technology is constantly evolving, cybersecurity protection must continue to evolve, too. AI is driving advancements across all areas of technology at a faster rate, including threat detection and security monitoring for organizations that handle sensitive data. For instance, a bank may issue an automated alert if a member card is used to make a purchase at an unusual vendor or location.
While AI can enhance security in new ways, it also means that emerging technology poses new risks. For instance, 5G networks offer faster speeds and greater connectivity, but their ability to support a greater number of devices can weaken its security overall. Similarly Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as smart wearables like an Apple Watch or comparable technology, can create vulnerabilities due to weak passwords and the increased likelihood of lost or stolen devices.
To address these evolving threats, organizations should adopt a Zero Trust security policy for all BYODs within their network. Zero Trust is a security model that operates on the principle that every device, user, and application requires continuous authentication every time before access is granted. Under the Zero Trust model, no device or user is automatically trusted and it’s assumed that every access attempt is a potential threat, making it the digital equivalent of the age-old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” As a result, this model offers one of the most effective ways to safeguard BYOD environments.
Strengthening Your BYOD Strategy for Maximum Security
Adopting a BYOD policy can be a great benefit to companies and employees. However, making sure those devices are secure is important for the health of your business, your proprietary data, and ensuring you’re compliant with industry regulations.
While new cybersecurity threats are constantly emerging, potentially impacting BYOD networks, Miradore is committed to providing secure BYOD solutions that stay several steps ahead of those threats at all times. Maintaining a secure network of BYOD devices starts with an awareness of current and new threats, and proactively implementing policies and solutions to create strong layers of security to safeguard your company’s data. Miradore’s Premium MDM service features robust solutions to help you reap the benefits of a BYOD policy without compromising security.