4 Best Practices for BYOD Policies
People love their mobile devices and don’t want to leave home without them. When they bring their digital device to work we call this Bring Your Own Device or BYOD. The day after you get your new mobile phone or iPad, you’ll probably take it to work and have the IT department set it up with your email and access to the company IT network. And as more and more companies agree to this, they are also requiring you to agree to their BYOD policies as well.
- There should be an acceptable mobile usage policy. These are set up by the companies CIO and telling you what you can and can’t do on your mobile device.Read the BYOD policy carefully because once you sign it your job will be on the line if you don’t abide by it.
- For IT security purposes, an application will run on the mobile device that needs to be downloaded and installed. This security application will have a certificate authenticating the device with terms and conditions to connect to the company network and run yours and the companies programs.
- The mobile management application will provide the enterprise the ability to remotely control your mobile and wipe data. Don’t do this if you don’t plan on agreeing to the BYOD policies
- Expect the security application to have the ability to locate your mobile if it’s lost or stolen via the phones GPS, lock your phone locally within 1-5 minutes. It will also wipe your mobile, having encryption, antivirus and a firewall to protect company data.
Bringing your own device is not a right but a privilege. If your employer doesn’t allow it there is generally a good reason. Data breaches cost thousands and in some cases millions. So if you are lucky enough to be privileged, protect that mobile device with the guidance of the IT department.
Robert Siciliano personal and small business security specialist toADT Small Business Security discussing ADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures
