BYOD Policy for security: 7 steps to a Bring Your Own Device Policy security plan

BYOD is inevitable, but the security is a big deal. According to an Intel survey report of 2012, 3,000 IT decision makers and 1,300 end users from Australia, Germany, South Korea and the United States understand their BYOD Policy challenges. In three of the four countries, IT Managers considered a lack of security features the most important factor inhibit device adoption. The ability of the software-management tools is somewhat idle to some of the top BYOD Policy security issues. These include

·         Unlicensed Software

·         Unsecured Third-Party Connections

·         Malware

·         Rooted Devices

·         Lost, Stolen, Or Damaged Devices

Introducing BYOD partially depends on the morale of the employee and company’s BYOD  Policy security  which need to have apparent answer to:

1. Who owns the device? (Employee’s concern)

2. Who manages and secures the device? (Company’s concern)

7 steps to a BYOD Policy security plan.

The first and best defense in securing BYODs begins with the same requirements applied to devices that are already on the network. Company’s security and BYOD can co-exist. But it starts with planning which should include Employee’s concern and company’s concern. Here’s how:

1. Decide devices to be used as BYOD-Mobile devices (smart phones),Tablets (e.g., iPad), Portable computers (laptops, netbooks, ultrabooks).

2. Educate consumers about the BYOD policy including

·         Business stakeholders

·         IT stakeholders

·         Information security stakeholders

3. Launch a pilot project which include these capabilities

·      Specified  Operating System (OS)

·      Cloud storage and security

·      Data and device encryption

·      Policy compliance and audit reports

·      Remote device management

·      Upgrading or wiping  devices when retired or change in end-user relationship  with the company

·      Determine who has network access based on who, what, where and when.

4. Secure BYODs and BYOD policy security with existing IT administrator

·         Enforcing strong pass codes on all devices

·         Antivirus protection and data loss prevention (DLP)

·         Full-disk encryption for disk, removable media and cloud storage

·         Mobile device management (MDM) to wipe sensitive data when devices are lost or stolen

·         Application control

 

5. Evaluate implementation and upgrade existing technologies.

6. Open BYOD program with the BYOD policy security to all employees and control access based on need to know.

7. Periodically reassess solutions including vendors and trusted advisors.

Most users think that viruses are the only threat to their devices. Many believe that malware doesn't affect mobile devices at all. User awareness is the most important security measure and it might be the most important non-hardware, non-software solution available. User education makes the user aware of all the potential dangers of BYOD device in BYOD policy security. An educated user is a safer user.