What is BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Policy

BYOD, or Bring Your Own Device, is a growing trend in which employees use their personal devices for work. Companies that implement BYOD policies allow employees to use their own computers, smartphones, and tablets for work-related reasons rather than requiring them to utilize company-owned and managed devices.

The concept has evolved from its early beginnings as devices and platforms have become increasingly capable of being used in a professional context, and now intends to:

• Reduce overheads for the organization in terms of procurement and provisioning of corporate equipment by allowing end-users to utilize IT in a way that they are comfortable with.
• Allow for flexible (and possibly remote) working.
• Increase your output.
• When employees are unable to reach their primary places of employment, provides redundancy to businesses and organizations.

While BYOD has some of the same risks and mitigations as other flexible working solutions, it also has its own set of issues.

The efficiency of BYOD data protection is determined by the following factors:

• How well can the gadget be managed? (how much this is allowed by the owner).
• How well have usability and security concerns been balanced?

Shadow IT refers to any employee-owned devices that are not approved by the employer and pose a security risk to the company. Malware and other security hazards cannot be detected or protected on devices that are not accessible to stakeholders. As a result, a good device policy would specify when employees can use personal devices for work and when they should rely on company-owned assets.

Another danger of BYOD is that employees would take their devices with them wherever they go. While it is unlikely that people will bring their work laptops on a night out, they will almost certainly bring their personal smartphones. This raises the possibility of a device with firm data being lost or stolen.

All of these issues can be avoided and planned for, but the employer must take preventative measures in advance. Contingency strategies for limiting risk and responding to data breaches should be outlined in corporate policy. Employees will be better able to grasp how to use their personal devices for company purposes if their obligations are clearly defined.

When company stakeholders understand the pain points they’re addressing, BYOD policies work best. Stakeholders should develop a security strategy to address the issue, then collaborate with employees to put the solution in place in a mutually beneficial manner.

Conclusion

Smaller businesses may benefit from a BYOD policy. However, it’s not a good idea to make a decision solely on the basis of convenience and cost. Consider the impact a BYOD policy will have on your business in terms of privacy, enterprise data security, and IT support. You should also consider which gadget your staff prefers to use for work. Consider the future when making decisions on how to manage devices when an employee departs your company.

source: https://socradar.io/what-is-byod-policy-practices-to-help-keep-your-network-secure-in-2022/