4 Things to Keep in Mind When Creating a Secure Enterprise BYOD Policy
Modern technology advancements offer a chance for businesses to take their operations to new levels. Take, for example, the popularity of bring-your-own-device (BYOD). It has been growing exponentially among enterprise-level organizations.
Why?
For starters, BYOD policies boost collaboration among staff while keeping people connected to their work. That doesn’t necessarily mean that people must work 24/7 – rather, it means that they can if they want or need to.
As with any new technology, there are concerns to overcome. These concerns include security, privacy, data backup, termination policies, and more. Enterprises that wish to implement BYOD must have an airtight policy that lays out the rules and covers all the bases.
Here are 4 things that you should keep in mind when creating your policy.
#1: Identify the Devices You’re Allowing
There will be four networked devices and connections per person globally by 2021. In other words, you’re going to be dealing with a lot of devices with different operating systems and security parameters.
Employees today use a diverse set of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and more. Be sure to identify a specific model (or range of models and platforms) that you can support for your BYOD policy.
This will help simplify finding software and management tools that work well with those devices.
Related: The CIO’s IT Infrastructure Upgrade Checklist
#2: Establish Who Owns What Data
This is where BYOD enters a gray area.
As an enterprise, you have to clearly define which data belongs to the company and which data belongs to the employee. You must maintain the right to remotely wipe the phone, especially in cases where the employee is terminated.
Be sure to allow them to connect to secure cloud-based services, and limit their abilities to download information to the mobile device. It’s also imperative that you have security policies that will restrict or remove their access in cases of device loss or theft and even separation from the company.
#3: Create a Solid Security Policy
Each device added to the network automatically introduces a new point of entry for cyber threats. Enterprises must take great care to encrypt business data stored on phones, or at least ensure that it is stored within encrypted folders.
Provide a secure delivery system for sensitive documents and data. Take care to implement mandatory passcode locks on the devices themselves. Make sure that these devices have a strict password reset policy to reduce the chances of an unknown third party accessing the device.
Related: Your Cybersecurity Go-to Guide
You’ll also want to make sure that the device is registered before they enter the company network. You can do that by registering the MAC address. With a MAC registration, you can fully track which device enters your network.
#4: Work with Staff to Help Them Understand BYOD
BYOD policies are still a relatively new thing. Younger generations may come to expect things like BYOD wherever they work, but everyone needs a bit of guidance on how and when to use it to fully protect employees, customers and the company itself. Your IT department should be there to walk users through how the new technology changes can benefit them.
You should also internally draft up guides or create general resource information that helps people understand how BYOD works in the context of your enterprise.
Related: How to Efficiently Complete IT Projects
In short, keeping a transparent policy helps people stay more secure and up-to-speed with their work tools. That translates to better familiarity with technology, giving you more productivity and enhanced collaboration.
Understanding the Importance of Collaboration and Security
Enterprises must embrace the growing list of technology that facilitates collaboration and security. After all, these two aspects are the building blocks of corporate success.
We can help your enterprise implement next-gen collaboration solutions that will enhance the way you operate. We can integrate collaboration applications with any device, develop streamlined information flows, and build custom collaboration solutions for you.
If you have more questions on BYOD, or if you’d like to learn about our secure collaboration solutions, contact us today. We’re more than happy to discuss it with you.
