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ow many devices have access receiving malware directly through a a “real quick check” of work email from a
to your company network and text message. In those cases, anything personal laptop that hasn’t been properly
data? Be sure to include not that employee had access to is now secured can expose the company to risks.
just the computers plugged open to anyone else, and worse yet,
Hin at the office, but also the sophisticated attacks can also use “lateral Additionally, there is a risk of crossover
laptops, smartphones, smartwatches movement” to snake through your between company and personal
and anything else that’s been signed in enterprise systems to gain even higher information on employee devices.
to your WiFi or has access to company levels of access — eventually getting Without isolation between company
email — even those that can remote- the executive-level keys to the castle. and personal data, employees could lose
access from home. If you’re unsure of both if a device is mistakenly reported
that number or what those devices might And while you may think that you don’t missing and subsequently wiped. Legal
be, your data might already be at risk. have information valuable enough for ownership of company information could
someone to steal, it doesn’t always also come into question if it’s stored
Theft, data corruption and breaches don’t have to be social security or credit card on an employee’s personal device.
just occur at massive companies — numbers they target. If any information
anything or anyone can be a target. is valuable to you or your company,
Contractors can no longer ignore data someone can try to make you pay to get MOBILE APPLICATION
security and need to establish a mobility it back. Even if no personal information MANAGEMENT
management strategy — a system of is stolen, an attacker could threaten to
procedures and policies to regulate who, corrupt or destroy all of your payroll As a result of the changing mobility
where and how their company data can data unless you pay their ransom. and remote-connectivity of users, MAM,
be accessed — to protect their businesses. or mobile application management,
With the extent of mobile devices strategies emerged. Rather than securing
throughout a workspace being so difficult each individual device like MDM, MAM
ASSESSING to control, simply stating that personal applies additional security to individual
THE THREAT devices can’t be used at work isn’t extensive applications. For example, while an
enough as a security strategy. Contractors employee might use one email app for
According to JBKnowledge’s 2018 need to take proactive measures to secure personal use, the employer may allow
Construction Technology Report, over their sensitive data by incorporating them to access work emails only through
one-third of contractors don’t secure layers of mobility management. a specific app that they can encrypt
employees’ personal devices used for and control at an enterprise level.
work, while another third claim to not
allow employees to use their personal MOBILE DEVICE With MAM, companies can maintain
devices at all. Regardless of whether or MANAGEMENT control over their enterprise apps on
not contractors have an official BYOD an employee’s device without intruding
(“bring your own device”) policy where MDM, or mobile device management, upon personal information. This is
workers use their personal devices for aims to secure the individual tablet, called “containerization.” Much like
work-related matters, mobile devices smartphone, laptop, etc. being used to plastic storage containers in your fridge
continuously flow throughout workplaces access anything work-related. Through the that might contain different meals for
and their networks. And if those devices use of device encryption, PIN access, and the week, containerization works to
are allowed to access any sources that remote wiping of the device in the event separate and isolate company data from
even indirectly touch company data, of loss or theft, MDM provides companies personal data on an employee’s device,
they could present risks to that data. with a system for controlling each device preventing any interaction between the
an employee uses for conducting business. two. With containerization, employees
For businesses, these unsecured devices can maintain privacy with non-enterprise
can become points of vulnerability for While MDM is a great step in securing applications since companies can’t access
the entire company network, opening up business data, there are some limitations. the employee’s personal container while
possibilities for data theft or corruption. With cloud-based storage and access, companies can still monitor and encrypt
It may seem obvious that a lost or stolen employees can now reach company any activity occurring on enterprise
device with saved credentials — like information from any device at any time. apps within their company container.
autofilling a username and password — With only an MDM strategy in place,
can provide an all-access gateway into a company must account for each of Through MAM, companies can designate
company information, but any device these devices and ensure proper security which applications have access to
can also compromise company data by guidelines are being followed by each company data and remotely wipe
connecting to an unsecured public WiFi employee and on every device that is used information from enterprise apps, leaving
network, clicking on an email scam or for any business-related activity. Even just the user’s personal data untouched.

www.ieci.org | July/August 2019 | Insights Magazine 35