BYOD Threatens Cybersecurity. Portable electronic devices allow staff to remain connected to work whenever they need to perform their duties. Unfortunately, the downside is the fact that when employees bring their own devices to work, they’re potentially also bringing a threat to the security of your organization. While BYOD isn’t going to disappear from work culture anytime soon, the danger that BYOD presents doesn’t have to remain a security threat.
Preventing Data Theft Due to Loss of Device
There have been many cases of employees losing their laptop or having their personal device stolen. Even Apple had one of their prototype iPhones lost in a Redwood City bar, which ended up resulting in a serious information leak.
In order to prevent easy theft of information, it’s crucial to at least have a password-locked phone or laptop. If possible, encrypt the contents of your personal device to make it even more difficult to steal information.
Devices equipped with location apps may allow you to track the position of your electronic device, although you should exercise caution before tracking down a phone that’s been stolen to avoid a potential physical attack from the thief.
Unauthorized Access Through Personal Devices
Unauthorized access through personal devices is the most significant threat that the BYOD movement has created, which often occurs through laptops or mobile phones infected with malware designed to collect information from IT systems without becoming detected. Windows and Android operating systems are considered the most susceptible to malware infection.
Any personal device is a potential vector for attackers to utilize against your company. Even a tiny flash storage drive may contain malware code capable of stealing valuable, private data from your system.
Protect Against BYOD Threats
It may not be practical to completely ban BYOD from your organization, especially considering the extra staff productivity that a flexible work environment bestows.
However, you can establish policy that prevents hackers from riding shotgun on your employee’s electronic devices. For example, only the employees who benefit from BYOD may do so, and the servers that they connect with should relate strictly to the work that they must undertake. Employees who leave the company should verify that they’ve eliminated sensitive data from their computers.
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