BYOD Security Concerns
Last updated on October 6, 2022
BYOD Security (Bring Your Own Device), often referred to as BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology), is a security policy that permits workers to use their own equipment, like computers, tablet devices, or smartphones, while at work to access proprietary data and company-owned apps.
How can Businesses Securely Implement a BYOD Security Program?
The increasing popularity of BYOD has made it inevitable for businesses to implement its concept into business processes. While BYOD aims at improving productivity levels and optimizing infrastructure, there are certain security risks associated with it. In a BYOD environment, IT administrators face a tough time in controlling the behavior of personal devices accessing the network. Before implementing a BYOD program, companies need to address various types of security risks.
BYOD Security Risks
There are unfortunately a few risks that come with BYOD, particularly when a BYOD Security policy would not be implemented correctly.
Malware and Virus attacks
A BYOD program allows employees to log into the network using their preferred devices such as iPhones, Android phones and laptops etc. While systems in a corporate network are highly secured, offering access to outside devices makes the network vulnerable for online threats. Employees download several mobile apps, and while doing so, they provide access to sensitive corporate data. Likewise, it’s not easy to constantly update software and security patches on personal mobile devices. Often, employee mobile devices are not highly configured to run high-end security applications and thereby decrease the performance of the system. This is something that makes the end user unhappy. At times, mobiles apps that are not infected with viruses can still cause damage to corporate data. To overcome this BYOD security challenge, companies need to implement programs that can whitelist and blacklist mobile apps. This is possible with cloud computing virtualization solutions.
Data Management Issues
Tracking and managing data across the network is crucial. With increasing data scrutiny from governing authorities, companies need to implement powerful data management solutions to store and secure data effectively. With a BYOD program, tracking and managing data is not easy. Another issue is corporate license agreements. Every computing resource within a corporate network possesses a valid software license. When you implement a BYOD security policy, personal devices might not have the enterprise licenses to access required networks. In addition, unsecured 3rd party applications might gain access to critical corporate data. Another security concern arises from unsatisfied employees, or disgruntled past employees, who can leak critical data to competitors. The HR team needs to make sure that employees lose access to corporate networks before relieving them.
Stolen Devices
Another important security concern arises when a personal device is lost or stolen. People who find that device can use it to access corporate networks. While outsiders can gain access to corporate data, businesses can lose important data stored on that personal device.
Security Measures for a BYOD Policy
Below are a few security measures that any business should aim to implement within their BYOD policy strategy, to ensure that BYOD security is taken into proper consideration.
Data Encryption in Transit and at Rest
BYOD results in the retrieval and viewing of sensitive data on systems under the control of an organization’s competitors. Data must be encrypted both in transit and at rest for security reasons. Even in the most dire possible situation of device theft, encryption enables you to safeguard the content of crucial information, thus enforcing BYOD security.
Application Management
Some hardware and operating systems let admins manage the installed programs on a device. Certain applications can be controlled, like Android Enterprise can be set to only show certain approved applications in the Play Store, or how iOS devices can completely block access to the App Store. This will increase BYOD security as users cannot just install any app that might contain malware or other harmful software.
Containerization
Using containerization, you can separate each component of a device into a secure environment with its own set of apps, data, and security rules. By doing so, BYOD security concerns to the company network may be avoided while allowing people to utilize the devices without limitations.
Parallels RAS VDI is a Great Solution to Address BYOD Security Concerns
Parallels RAS (Remote Application Server) offers an easy solution to BYOD security concerns. By using a simple and secure solution such as Parallels RAS, you can create a VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure). In a VDI environment, networks are built using virtual servers. By using RDP, the hypervisor carries out application delivery. Then, virtual desktops are delivered to personal devices within a BYOD program. In a virtual network, devices can use any OS like Windows, Linux or Mac. As each device accesses virtual servers, corporate data becomes safe and secure. High-end security applications are installed on the server to effectively handle online threats and network intrusions. These security apps are dynamically updated to block new malware and viruses.
While a powerful VDI environment augments every benefit offered by a BYOD program, not every virtualization server can handle your IT needs. Parallels RAS is a powerful VDI solution from Parallels RAS that seamlessly delivers virtual desktops. Backed by several years of experience and a proven track record, Parallels RAS can help you improve your productivity levels while securing your networks.
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