The proliferation of BYOD in workplaces has blurred the lines between work and personal lives. It has created an environment where employees can access corporate data and apps from anywhere and anytime.
Implementing BYOD at hybrid workplaces offers several benefits -
- Reduced operating costs - Enhanced flexibility - Greater mobility - Device familiarity - Improved productivity
There are valid concerns regarding BYOD security and privacy. For example, companies discovering personal content on devices would breach employee privacy. And companies experience security risks from -
- Shadow IT - Lost/stolen devices - Malware attacks - Unsecured Wi-Fi networks
Implementing a BYOD program with mobile device management (MDM) support separates personal and work data. IT can control all corporate data and apps, but personal information remains secured.
MDM helps build a robust BYOD security program
- Shadow IT → Whitelist approved apps - Lost/stolen devices → Remote wipe corporate data - Malware attacks → OS/app updates - Unsecured Wi-Fi networks → VPN access