Mar 21, 2014

Mobile hardware is changing the way employees work, and bring-your-own-device initiatives are ensuring that users are able to use their equipment effectively. However, while BYOD has numerous advantages to offer to businesses, there are also considerable dangers that can emerge from it. Malware is infecting more devices on a daily basis, creating a widespread hesitance to incorporating BYOD into the workplace. By better understanding the risks that are present and how to separate work from personal processes, organizations can secure their important files and mitigate potential breaches.

There are more sophisticated threats emerging faster than ever before, which makes it significantly harder to deter issues like data loss. As the prices for information recovery and loss of customer trust continue to rise, it’s becoming more of a priority to provision employees with a secure file sharing platform. CRN noted that many organizations don’t recognize the security risks that mobile devices are bringing, and the possible threats are growing at a rapid pace.

While companies will try to instill protection at the device level, it will be more important to incorporate safety measures in applications. If users decide to utilize consumer-grade solutions, it could present substantial vulnerabilities to enterprise data, but IT personnel must also ensure that their list of trusted programs include software that is convenient and easy to navigate.

“The problem is, in a lot of organizations, IT tends to be dictatorial,” J. Gold Associates principal analyst Jack Gold told the source. “End users always find a way to do what they want to do.”

Drawing the line between work and play
Use of personal devices within the business environment can be difficult to manage, but it can offer substantial benefits. Many managers worry about the possibility of business assets being compromised, but there are steps they can take in order to better protect their systems. One approach is to create a policy that clearly defines how the hardware can be used with company resources and which programs are allowed to access the information. This will help employees understand how to leverage their device without compromising essential data. By including subjects like file sharing solutions, the business can make suggestions for software to use that will help staff collaborate and keep information safe.

TechTarget contributor Kay Diller also suggested offering workers BYOD and security tools that are easy to use while encouraging the separation of personal processes from work elements. These approaches will ensure that staff have the tools on hand to complete their daily tasks.

“With easy-to-use security, employees are more likely to place it on their own device and use it,” Diller wrote. “In addition, when employees lose their mobile device, the corporate data and network will be better protected. This security should be part of each enterprise mobile app as a way to best mitigate inappropriate access to company data.”

Organizations are increasingly looking for solutions that will keep mission-critical data safe. With mobile access control, businesses can determine who is authorized to view information and will give IT better oversight into data location at all times.