7 Risks of BYOD & How to Avoid Them

Nov 18, 2024

An increasing number of businesses are adopting Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) policies. This shift makes sense. Companies that allow employees to use personal devices for work save an average of $350 per employee per year. Still, many organizations remain cautious about the security risks of BYOD.

“Companies must balance employee satisfaction with security integrity.” – Danny Tehrani, CEO of Computers Made Easy.

However, most BYOD risks are avoidable when you implement the right security measures. Furthermore, these measures can be applied without compromising the convenience of allowing work through employee-owned devices.

This article will explore 7 such solvable risks. We’ll explain the root causes of these BYOD risks and issues and provide recommendations on how you can avoid or resolve them at your business.

Top Security Risks of BYOD Every Business Should Know

1. Lack of Control Over Personal Devices

Allowing employees to use their own devices makes it difficult for IT departments to maintain consistent control. Without control, they can’t enforce security policies, monitor usage, or apply critical updates uniformly across all devices.

Implement mobile device management (MDM) software that allows IT to monitor and enforce security protocols on all BYOD devices. This software enables IT to push security updates, enforce password policies, block malicious apps, and remotely wipe devices if needed.

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2. Inconsistent Security Protocols Across Devices

Personal devices may have varying security measures, such as outdated software or weak passwords, increasing exposure to malware and data leaks. Varying devices may also have varying operating systems, which make it difficult to maintain consistency across your corporate network.

Enforce the use of strong passwords, two-factor authentication (2FA), and regular updates for software and operating systems. Mandating company-approved security software encourages consistency.

3. Unauthorized Data Access

Employees accessing company networks from unsecured devices or networks can expose sensitive data to threats. Furthermore, it takes 277 days on average to detect a data breach. This long detection time allows attackers to cause significant damage before the issue is even identified.

So, it’s best to prevent the breach from occurring. Use virtual private networks (VPNs) to secure access and require encrypted connections for all devices. It’s also important to conduct regular security audits to identify and patch vulnerabilities.

4. Lost or Stolen Devices

Losing a personal device used for work can lead to data exposure, especially if the device lacks proper encryption. The thief may crack user passwords to access any files saved on the device. This is a quick way to give that thief access to any sensitive information stored on the hard drive.

Enforce encrypted storage and ensure remote wipe capabilities for all BYOD devices. Implement company-wide training to inform employees on protecting their devices.

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5. Increased Susceptibility to Malware Attacks

Personal devices are more susceptible to malware. That’s simply because of the amount of use the device may get. If the employee is also using that device for personal use, they may explore websites they normally wouldn’t on a work device. Furthermore, personal devices may be shared with friends and family, who could also click suspicious links.

Require up-to-date antivirus software on all devices and enforce regular updates for operating systems. Educating employees on identifying phishing attacks and other digital threats also strengthens defenses.

6. Lack of Employee Training

95% of cybersecurity incidents result from human mistakes. Falling for phishing attempts, clicking bad links, and even accidental deletion can all lead to data loss, corruption, or theft. Although people are more informed now than they were in the past, 25% of employees still have the tendency to click most of the links sent to them via email or via social media.

Provide continuous training on cybersecurity best practices, such as recognizing phishing emails, creating strong passwords, and safe internet usage. Be sure to provide this training at least annually to remind employees of the potential risks and to address emerging threats.

Include the following in your annual training sessions for optimized protection.

Training Module	Description
Phishing Attack Recognition	How to identify and avoid phishing attempts through email, phone, and messaging.
Password Security and Management	Best practices for creating, storing, and updating strong passwords.
Safe Use of Public Wi-Fi	Tips for securely accessing the internet on public Wi-Fi networks.
Social Engineering Awareness	Learn how attackers use manipulation to gain access to sensitive information.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Setup	Importance and setup process for two-factor authentication on all accounts.
Recognizing and Reporting Security Incidents	How to recognize a security incident and properly report it to IT.
Secure File Sharing and Cloud Storage	Guidelines for securely sharing files and using cloud storage systems.
Software and OS Update Importance	Why regular software and operating system updates are critical for security.
Physical Security of Devices	How to physically secure devices in public or shared environments.

7. Evolving Security Threats

Hackers can change tactics quickly, which makes it hard for security practices to keep up. For example, AI-driven threats can adapt to security defenses. AI-driven threats can adjust their behavior based on the defenses they encounter, such as mimicking normal user actions to bypass security filters. In simple terms, the pattern is as follows.

You can fight these threats and more easily keep up with changing cybersecurity threats with AI as well. You can use AI-based threat detection to identify unusual patterns or suspicious activity quickly. Also, BYOD policies should be regularly updated to address new types of threats.

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Enhance Your BYOD Device Security With Expert Help

Security vulnerabilities can quickly appear if you aren’t diligent about your BYOD practices. Real-time monitoring, consistent updates, and expert oversight are all needed to keep connected BYOD devices secure.

If you don’t have the time or resources to do that yourself, Computers Made Easy can help. We employ a team of technology specialists who can manage your IT network in a way that supports cybersecurity. We can also detect and mitigate threats 24/7 before they cause an issue on your network.