7 Ways to Mitigate BYOD Risk

Experts recommend a series of steps to keep security risks contained under a bring-your-own-device program:

1. Carry out a full audit of the organization’s IT environment to determine if the infrastructure is prepared to handle workforce mobility, particularly in terms of security and network demand.

2. Evaluate specific device use scenarios and investigate the leading practices to mitigate each risk scenario.

3. Set a security baseline and then certify relevant mobile hardware and operating system types for enterprise use.

4. Implement acceptable use policies and procedures that clearly communicate boundaries and describe what will happen if they are violated.

5. Enforce standard security policies, such whole-device encryption, passcode access and failed login attempt limits.

6. Invest in mobile device management or enterprise mobility management solutions to enforce policies, monitor usage and access and take corrective action (such as wiping a mobile device clean of corporate data) in the event of a loss or theft.

7. Educate users on security best practices, such as creating strong passwords and not downloading apps or data from untrusted sources.

To learn more about how BYOD is changing and impacting enterprise IT, read our story "What Companies Need to Know About the Current State of BYOD."