One of the major advantages of outsourcing to a provider of Milwaukee tech support is the provision for the implementation of a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy. When almost everyone is using their own smartphones, tablets, and laptops, it only makes perfect sense for companies to stop issuing mobile devices and start allowing their staff to use their personal gadgets for work purposes instead.
BYOD is popular among employers and employees for various reasons. From employers’ perspective, BYOD lowers company expenses because they don’t need to buy and maintain devices. From employees’ perspective, BYOD improves productivity because they don’t have to be trained on how to use new devices. Indeed, it’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Nevertheless, like with all other policies, BYOD is not perfect. There are security considerations in adopting a BYOD policy, like what to do with lost devices containing sensitive data, how to dispose confidential information from the devices of leaving employees, just to name a few. For your company to successfully implement BYOD, here are some technical controls to apply:
Device Registration
All active devices employees use to access company networks and databases should be registered so that unauthorized devices are detected and blocked. Authorization should be revoked for lost devices or for inactive devices of resigned/retired/terminated employees.
Remote Wipe
Administrators should be able to remotely delete sensitive data in lost or inactive devices. This is to ensure that confidential information doesn’t have a chance to leak out, even if the device is never physically retrieved.
Antivirus Software
Common threats can be detected by most antivirus software, including the free ones. If your budget permits, invest in paid versions for more powerful protection. A provider of Milwaukee tech support can recommend the antivirus software that best suits your company’s needs.
Security Training
Many data breaches are a result (whether direct or indirect) of negligence. Thus, instill awareness in your employees by giving them security training and periodic refresher courses throughout their stay. They should know where to report lost devices, what kind of passwords to use, how to recognize suspicious emails, and who to approach in case of a security issue. Employees should be trained to be more proactive and less reactive.
Company Policies
Though employees use their personal devices under BYOD, your company can still set rules which they should follow. For example, you can require them to delete specific apps, such as those known to be prone to malware. You can also advise them to regularly back up their personal data, just in case a remote wipe is needed to be performed on their devices.
For a Milwaukee tech support provider that can help you successfully implement BYOD policy within your company, look no further than Technology Resource Advisors. We have more than a decade of experience in delivering high-quality IT support to many organizations from various industries. Contact us now to learn more about our services. We look forward to hearing from you soon.