Take a look around and it’s easy to see the influence of mobile devices on our society. Even here in Greenwood, Indiana the proliferation of mobile is rampant. When we look specifically at the modern workplace, employees rely on laptops, mobile phones, tablets, and portable drives to carry out their job responsibilities. Unfortunately, these devices are often overlooked as security threats. Bring your own device (BYOD) refers to the policy of permitting employees to bring personally owned devices to the workplace to access privileged company information and applications.
It’s important to implement a well thought-out BYOD policy that will provide security measures to protect your employees and your company. Take a look at some of these rules to consider for your BYOD policy:
• Password-protect your devices. This is a must-have rule. Employees may find it annoying and inconvenient, but a strong password is your best bet to keep devices secure in the event that they end up in the wrong hands.
• Encrypt all stored data. Strong encryption is a necessity. An experienced IT provider can set this up with no trouble. Encryption will ensure that all of your data is safe even if devices are lost or stolen.
• Utilize an encrypted network. Make sure your employees connect to a secure network that has been set up by an experienced IT provider. This is usually an SSL for VPNs, or a WPA2 for WLAN connections. Whatever you do, don’t connect to any open, free Wi-Fi connections. This has the potential of putting your data in the hands of anyone who is using the pubic Wi-Fi connection.
• Store and secure your mobile devices. We talk a lot about the digital dangers of theft, but physical theft is real as well. Ensure that all employees never leave their mobile devices unattended.
• Remote data wiping is a must-have. In the case of a lost or stolen device, your employees need to be able to remotely wipe their device. Be sure that this is an option on all devices connected to your network.
• Report lost or stolen devices immediately (no later than 24 hours). Every second counts once a device is missing. The more time a device is missing, the higher chance your data will get exposed. Make sure your employees understand the urgency of reporting lost or stolen devices right away. Be sure to provide a clear set of instructions for employees to follow in the case of a missing device.
• Limit employee access. An IT provider can create profiles for each employee to limit access to your network based on specific clearance protocols. In other words, if certain data does not pertain to specific employees, you can (and should) block their access to this information.
Today’s modern businesses cannot afford to dismiss having a strong, practical BYOD policy. Building the proper IT security measures to effectively protect mobile devices should be a top priority for every Greenwood, Indiana business and beyond. Contact us to learn more about BYOD policies and how they can benefit your business.