IT Strikes Back in BYOD Battle

In a world of increasing changes and confusion, one thing is clear: the raging debate over “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) is consuming corporate network managers. As more and more companies are allowing employees to use their personal Androids, iPhones and iPads on corporate networks, IT departments and IT Service Providers are becoming increasingly anxious over the potential security implications. On the one hand, BYOD represents a potential source of great cost savings for companies. It also provides a great means to enhancing employee productivity as they work on devices they are very familiar with. However, on the flip side, there is an alarming increase in the occurrence of security breaches, viruses and malware caused by a lack of standardized security policies for personal devices.  Other concerns over BYOD also include the notion of data ownership when the relationship between the employee and company ceases to exist. The debate rages on as companies attempt to determine which is best for their respective operations.

The smartphone market will grow by nearly 50% this year, and the number of phones in use will surpass 450 million. 

These staggering statistics demonstrate just how much the public underestimated the growth of this market. Just a few years ago, everyone was fanatic about the Blackberry device and how wonderful it was to own one.  Now, I’m not one to dis the Blackberry, since for many years I was an avid user, but with the occurrence of the major outage, it was a domino effect of users leaving the Blackberry in the dust. It does not seem like the recent comeback approach of RIM, Blackberry’s developer, is having any effect on the market, as the smartphone is well into play with today’s consumers. iPad and Tablet users are affected just the same, but Android has had its quirks with malware and viruses in large numbers this year alone. It is no wonder that IT departments everywhere are not all on the same page when it comes to securing their environments.

One thing is for sure! IT security for all companies and organizations is imperative.  Effective ways to address these challenges are emerging through the use of sandbox security. Sandbox security allows users to operate in a secured and controlled environment under IT control without impacting a user’s personal side of the device. It also monitors the device’s capability to secure access to all company data and applications in the event that a device has been hacked or compromised.

The rise of smartphones, mobile apps, and tablets and the BYOD approach is causing companies all over the world to seek innovative solutions to address mobile security and compliance in the most cost-effective manner. Sandbox security is one such solution, but its utility is also dependent on budgets and constraints placed on users. Until a universal solution is developed and implemented, the debate will rage on as companies will have to decide for themselves what is in their best interest i.e. to invest in a solution that can be costly or to pay a greater price down the road with a yet to be determined price tag.

Written by IT Support and IT Consulting Professionals at FedSolutions.  Thanks for stopping by!