Bring your Own Device: Mitigate Risks and Reap the Benefits

close-up of someone using a tablet

Bring your own device, or BYOD, involves allowing employees to use their own personal devices for work purposes. Smartphones are the most popular but programs often extend to tablets, laptops, and more.

When executed correctly, BYOD programs offer greater flexibility, reduced operating costs, increased productivity, and can make your company more appealing to potential employees. However, BYOD can also open your organization up to data breaches and increased security risk.

BYOD policy creation

Establishing a BYOD policy is crucial in keeping company information secure and protected. At a basic level, a BYOD policy should detail who can bring their own device, which devices are supported, who will pay for the device and associated coverage, how devices should be secured, what support will be provided by the organization, what privacy measures will be granted to employees and what happens if the policy is violated.

Continuous education & enforcing best practices

Once a policy is created, employees should be continuously educated on the importance of adhering to the guidelines in place. Best practices should be put into writing and training sessions should be held on a regular basis.

Some BYOD best practices include:

  • Strong password protection should be applied to all devices. Passwords should be unique to each device, difficult to guess, and should be changed frequently.
  • Software, apps, and operating systems should be kept up to date to ensure they have current security patches in place.
  • Employees should enroll in “find my device” and remote wipe services in the event of a stolen or misplaced device.
  • Devices should be backed up frequently and there should be a detailed recovery plan in place.
  • Organizations should invest in aggressive encryption tools so that data can’t be easily intercepted.
  • Companies should consider mobile device management (MDM) tools that give IT access to devices that connect to the business’ network.
  • Employers should require authentication to access sensitive information.

Working with an MSP

Through managed services, you can create and enforce a BYOD program that will effectively keep your data safe and secure. The right IT partner will get to know the ins and outs of your company in order to put a strong policy in place and continuously train employees on BYOD best practices.

Looking to formalize your BYOD program? Contact Warwick today to learn more about our services.