Technology has transformed the way in which businesses operate in recent times. One of the biggest ways that this has happened is through employees working on their personaldevices, such as phones, tablets and laptops. This has been a terrific advancement because it allows staff to work at home, on their way into the office or anywhere else that they might be in addition to in the office. This brings a host of benefits for both the company and employees, but there are also important threats to be aware of with the rise of cybercrime posing a huge threat to businesses. Here are a few security tips if you have a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy.
1. Ensure Passwords Are Used
First, your BYOD policy should make passwords compulsory if employees plan to work on their own devices to prevent unauthorized access to company data. These passwords should be unique, complex and random so that they cannot be guessed.
2. Restrict Data Access
It is also a good idea to restrictdata access so that a user is only able to access what they need to do their job. This can stop important data from being breached and limit the fallout if there is any kind of breach or harmful software installed on a device.
3. Antivirus Software
Cybercriminals will target small businesses because they believe that they will be easy to infiltrate. Make sure this is not the case with high-quality anti-virus software installed in every device and ensure that this is kept up to date at all times.
4. Mobile Device Management (MDM)
Mobile Device Management solutions available from specialists can make it easy for you to control all mobile devices, applications and documents. This includes end-to-end security, real-time alerts, graphical summaries of mobile device management compliance and much more.
5. Remote Wipe Applications
Remote wipe allows you to delete data from a device remotely which is important if an employee’s device is lost or stolen.
6. Use A VPN
You should also enforce employees to use a VPN if they connect to an unsecured network, such as public Wi-Fi. A VPN can encrypt transmitted data which can stop an outsider from getting access to it.
7. Device Encryption
Device encryption is also a smart idea because this will encrypt anything that is stored locally on the device so that there is protection in place if thedevice is infiltrated or stolen from an employee.
8. Blacklisting Certain Applications
Certain applications are a greater risk than others, such as file sharing and social networking apps, which is why it is worth blacklisting these apps if an employee is using a device for work-related purposes.
Having staff use their own devices for work can bring a host of benefits and it is a key part of many the operation for many companies. While there are many benefits for both employer and employee, this does mean that security is a concern particularly when cybercrime is on the rise. It is for this reason why you must have a BYOD policy in place,and the above tips should allow for safe and secure device usage.
