A survey about BYOD (bring your own device) details the security perspective of consumers who use their personal mobile devices for work purposes. Conducted by Webroot, a company offering cloud-based, internet threat detection products, the study indicates that many employees do not take adequate steps to protect company information, a weakness that could result in critical security breakdowns. The study also provides what the IT product firm terms a BYOD Bill of Rights guideline. The firm says that’s to bridge the gap between employees’ preferences and the security requirements of their organisations.
Findings include:
More than twice as many workers report using personal devices than those using devices issued by their employers, indicating a potential IT security gap.
Some 60 per cent of those using a mobile device for business have no security or just the default features set on the phone. Nearly half say they would stop using their device for work altogether if corporate policy required that they install a security app on personal devices used for work purposes
Employers being able to access employees’ personal data emerged as the top worry, with a majority describing themselves as either extremely concerned or very concerned about this
Some 73 per cent agree that employees should have some influence on software or security installed on personal devices used for work
The new survey, based on data collected by Harris Interactive, features perspective from more than 2,000 working professionals in the US. It concluded that while 62 percent of employees would be receptive to security software on personal devices, these requirements would need to be communicated clearly by their employer. While allowing such devices to access company data provides real business benefits, it can also expose businesses to higher risk of security threats, including phishing attacks, malware, and browser hijacking.
Mike Malloy, executive vice president of products and strategy at Webroot, said: “Companies gain a lot in terms of increased productivity and lower expenses by allowing their employees to use personal devices to access corporate data, but it can create a real challenge for the IT department to secure devices they do not control. We believe a good mobile security app is a critical part of the solution, but the company must work with its employees by proactively communicating and making them part of the security process to get compliance.”
