Consumerization of IT is here in full force, and it’s not going away.
“Wasting time complaining about consumerization and how managing employee-owned devices is such a huge imposition is not helpful.” That’s according to the Information Week article, “Mobile Security Action Plan,” which outlines steps CIOs can take to protect sensitive company data from being compromised due to loss or stolen mobile devices and the ever-growing malware threat.
The article stresses that workplace mobility is here to stay, and steps need to be taken to ensure companies stay ahead of the BYOD (bring your own device) security curve.
It’s suggested that those responsible for safeguarding corporate data begin with a very basic mindset: Remember that the fundamental goal is to protect sensitive information, and then work from there.
Ask yourself these questions from the article:
“Do we allow personal devices to access the internal network? How do we provide users with remote connectivity to collaborative resources hosted internally? Should we provide full management and configuration of employees’ personal devices or look for a system that isolates and protects corporate data?”
Once you have a clear picture of what your policies regarding employee-owned devices will/will not allow, it makes it much easier to implement appropriate security measures.
“Keeping corporate data safe on a user’s personal mobile device isn’t all that different from protecting a corporate laptop that’s being used on free public wireless networks,” says the article.
In other words, don’t overthink BYOD security. But it best not be an afterthought, either.
Do you have an opinion regarding the consumerization of IT and employee-owned mobile device security? Please share your feedback in the comments section below.
As always, thanks for reading.
