Network Security Stretched with BYOD and BYOA

With 46% of American adults owning a smartphone, the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to work revolution is here to stay. BYOD may be convenient for employees, but it also presents challenges for IT network security. To complicate the matter further, we are now seeing a new revolution with Bring Your Own Application to work (BYOA).

There are several network security solutions available for BYOD and BYOA that can ensure every device can securely access company data. Several companies have adapted these security measures and allow BYOD, while other companies view BYOD as risky and ban devices altogether. Part of the appeal for workers with BYOD is using personal applications to do work faster. In fact, workers enjoy using their own devices and applications so much so that 30% of respondents to a 2012 survey by security company Fortinet, admitted to using a banned personal device at work to complete their job.

The appeal to bring a personal device to work is due to the customizable nature of a device's applications. Personal apps allow for workers to complete tasks in a manner that suits them best. The problem is that many of these apps go unscreened by network security software, and with several of the apps downloaded from who-knows-where, network security threats can be hidden in the applications and potentially cause major damage. BYOA presents unique security challenges, because even if a device has been cleared, an app can then later be downloaded and access the network without proper screening.

There are a few solutions to the BYOA challenge; one idea is put into place a way for employees to communicate desired apps to IT. This way the apps can be tested and you will know what apps are accessing your network. But as evidenced by the 30% disobedience figure from earlier, it seems there will always be a small group bending security measures for whatever reason.

In yet another twist to the BYOA security threat we have applications becoming increasingly easy to make. This means it can take very little technical skill for someone to remedy a work problem with an application they have concocted themselves from an online app builder. The idea of creating new apps for work has a fun problem solving angle to it, this may be why it is appealing for many employees. According to the Fortinet survey, 69% of employees who responded showed an interest in creating their own customized apps for work.

An app that is customized by a novice is made by dragging and dropping software features made by different companies. These hybrid apps may be great at accomplishing specific work-related functions, but with different pieces of the software coming from different parties, it can serve as a Trojan horse for your company's network for threats like the Trojan virus. BYOA also has risks with updates, if it is an employee's responsibility to update their personal apps, an update may contain a virus, and this will not be caught if an app is only initially scanned. It is best practice to have a security measure in place that scans any external personal device before connecting to the network.

Directive can help your company with the new challenges brought on by the BYOD and BYOA revolution. We can adjust your firewall to only allow approved devices and applications to access your network, and we can also help by monitoring and managing the security of your network and devices. We even offer free network audits to show you where your security is weak. Call us at 607.433.2200 to schedule your appointment and let us help your company embrace the device revolution.