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Employees at virtually every business, regardless of size, are increasingly using smartphones for work. More mobility is usually good for business, but companies need to take control of mobile usage to manage risk and maximize productivity. Every business should have sensible mobile device policies, and most should deploy a mobile device management (MDM) solution that provides core controls over device usage and reduces the risk of data theft.
The first bridge to cross is deciding whether you’ll provide the devices yourself or adopt a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. Some businesses choose BYOD for economic reasons, but rigorous analysis suggests corporate-liable devices actually cost less.
Regardless of which path you choose, a straightforward policy is essential. You should, for example, require employees to update their operating systems promptly. If you own the devices and operate an MDM, this is easy. If you choose BYOD, you can at least create a written policy requirement stating that employees must apply OS updates as soon as they become available. This will reduce the risk of compromised devices and demonstrate that you’re making a clear effort to protect customer data.
Be clear with your staff about your intention to protect company data while also honoring their privacy. Without transparency on these points, employees may assume the worst. Set rules about what kind of work can be done on personal devices and what kind of work should be done only on company-owned devices. Also be clear on what sort of personal use can happen on corporate technology, including what sorts of media and apps are inappropriate for the workplace or a threat to mobile security.
If you’re using BYOD, be sure to assess your compliance with state and federal rules involving compensation, reimbursements and benefits for corporate usage of employee-owned devices.
Implementing the following requirements in your device policy will help address the greatest risks:
If it’s your first time rolling out a policy, be aware that you’ll likely update the policy as the usage matures, the devices evolve and the threat landscape changes. Assure employees you’ll reevaluate the policy as you go, especially because some people will be wary of increased device control.
With your mobile policy written out and communicated, you’ll need a toolset to monitor and enforce it. MDM packages have matured over the last decade to include a wide range of controls, including management functions for your website, mobile apps and broader content (to share documents or restrict their distribution).
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These common MDM controls can help you choose the right solution:
There are many MDM software packages on the market, most offered on a subscription basis. Samsung Knox Manage is a great example of a full-featured but straightforward MDM. It offers management support for all major operating systems, including iOS, Android, Windows 10 and Tizen, so wearable devices can fit into your mobile policy.
For organizations with more complex mobility requirements, Samsung’s Knox Suite combines device security, deployment and management. With one license and one sign-on, organizations can use Knox Platform for Enterprise, Knox Mobile Enrollment, Knox Manage and Knox Enterprise Firmware-Over-the-Air (E-FOTA).
Whatever tools you use, enforcing mobile policy is easier when you own the devices. It’s much easier in the long run to purchase devices that you know comply with your minimum requirements, are uniformly manageable with your policies — using your tools — and can provide a consistent user experience.
If you need to manage sensitive information and have reason to use it on the go, buy devices for your employees and use an MDM to increase work productivity while allowing for safe personal usage. Then sleep well at night.
Get more tips on using an MDM to keep your business data secure in this free white paper. And discover more insights on how to choose your first MDM.