Most companies do not have adequate tools for conducting internal investigations because there’s always too much to consider. It is imperative to have technology and processes for preserving, collecting, processing, and reviewing data related to internal investigations. But for most organizations, it is difficult to figure out where to begin with it.
By making some upfront efforts, companies can improve the outcomes for any investigations that may arise. Some extra efforts can douse what legal and logistical complications may arise, companies can adjust to where the facts will lead, or even predict how the project scope may change in the future.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the exclusive work-from-home necessity, it has become all the more difficult to manage investigations because more information is now stored on several different mobile devices. This is why companies now need to use solutions like mobile device management (MDM) and utilities to seamlessly identify and collect data for an internal investigation.
What is MDM Software?
It is important for risk managers to be aware of MDM capabilities, especially if they are involved in data discovery of any kind. MDMs are an important forensic tool for discovery and must be deployed across enterprises, especially in the remote work culture.
The majority of giant corporate IT departments use MDM software for securely monitoring and managing smartphones, tablets, and laptops used by workers.
In a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) setup, MDM acts as an instrumental security solution for IT teams in the following ways:
- The solution can configure and update employee devices in a consistent, standardized, and scalable way.
- With MDMs, IT teams can also make a remote diagnosis and troubleshoot problems efficiently.
- An MDM can effectively unify information into a single, trackable system
- IT departments can track how many employees are accessing company data, files, and email.
- MDM can provide valuable information about different data types including voicemail, text messages, call logs along with geographical locations of devices.
The Importance of MDM
Mobile device management can help employees access corporate email on a device and also allows companies to remotely wipe the email trail from devices if required.
MDM stands as an important centralized source of information from an investigative standpoint because it monitors every kind of employee activity such as email access, voice, and chat. Additionally, MDMs precisely document when and how employees use devices, and from what locations they access corporate data.
MDM in Internal Compliance
When it comes to investigations, MDM can be a useful tool because it allows IT teams to track how employees are accessing company data into a single, trackable system. MDM presents valuable information about where, when, and from which devices corporate data is being accessed.
Role of MDM in Compliance
To remain profitable and compliant, companies are always on the lookout for the best technology available in the market, and the means to deploy it across all employee devices. More devices in the organization mean there’s a greater chance of a mistake taking place. Therefore, it is important to have robust Mobile Device Management like Scalefusion, right at the disposal.
From remotely monitoring devices in the hands of employees to securing each device to prevent the biggest attack on a data breach, MDM solutions play a key role to ensure operational efficiency and compliance. MDMs don’t just help in managing the devices, but they also help to monitor how and where devices are being used in the first place.
Complete Data Protection
Companies typically have a lot of important and private data that requires stringent protection. With the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in place, organizations have left no stone unturned to ensure their business data is safe.
Thousands of employees across organizations use desktop computers, smartphones, tablets, and personal laptops to access data. Let’s not forget to add that several employees are continuously trying to access information remotely. With this, IT admins are burdened with the mammoth task of ensuring that each device is only used by the right person, at the right time.
With an MDM solution, the IT team can:
- Remotely lock and wipe a device
- Reset a passcode
- Deploy or remove apps across a whole suite of devices
- Roll out same-day updates without the employee’s intervention
MDM can comply with GDPR using the following:
- Getting insights on how apps are used and what data is collected
- Separating personal and business data
- Maintaining proper data audits
If big companies need to be highly compliant, they need to maintain control over every device, reduce the dependency on large IT teams, and be aware of how employees are using their devices to access company data.
MDM functions well as a device identification and management tool, but do not confuse it with a forensic collection tool. Once a device is identified as an investigation target, organizations can then use a forensic tool to gather all the business data from the mobile device.
Read More: 10 Ways to Make Corporate Devices & Data Impregnable
Extracting MDM Data for Compliance
When it comes to conducting an internal investigation, the process of extracting and decoding data from so many employee devices gets taxing. Data extraction is undoubtedly simplified when an MDM falls into the picture. Still, the whole cumbersome process of extracting, cleaning, and managing data often fall under the hands of the IT team.
No wonder the information contained in an MDM solution is highly comprehensive and accurate but interpreting it can be a challenge for the IT staff. Since the raw output from an MDM is often difficult to make sense of, an extensive spreadsheet is important to decipher the data. With a good MDM solution and a comprehensive forensic tool at disposal, the extracted data can be easier to decode and comprehend.
Fortunately, there are several e-discovery tools available online that can convert extracted data into sequentially organized, easy-to-comprehend, chat-like conversations. This data can pretty much mimic the look and feel of person-to-person interactions, just like they appear on a phone.
Extracting and deciphering data for compliance has now become a mandatory technical capability for enterprises, especially companies looking to conduct internal investigations cost-effectively.
Summarizing
In any corporate setup, employees finish more work from remote locations than from office premises. With the ongoing pandemic and mandatory work from home rules, compliance professionals need to understand how important MDM data is for investigation purposes.
When it comes to remote monitoring, professionalism, confidentiality, independence, and consistent processes are crucial parts to plan for future investigations.
Most corporations use several applications across organizations, and MDM is one of the tools that enables investigators to quickly grasp solid facts. Therefore, leveraging an MDM like Scalefusion as part of your compliance strategy can help you manage, understand, and control critical information about your employees, products, and customers. You can also safeguard how data can be managed and maintained across your business. An MDM solution can boost the overall traceability and visibility of the data, which further streamlines your compliance efforts and loosens up additional resources that can help tackle extra business challenges.
