A Solid Mobile Device Strategy Needs These 3 Components

It’s no surprise that mobile technology has infiltrated the workplace in more ways than one. Many businesses issue company-owned devices to their employees to get work done while out of the office, while others allow employees to bring their own devices, or use their own laptops and smartphones for fulfilling their day-to-day duties. That being said, it’s important to remember that mobile devices need to be managed in a very specific way to maintain security.

Let’s discuss how your business can manage the benefits of mobile devices in the workplace without sacrificing security.

Remote Wiping

Let’s say that one of your employees goes on a business trip and they set their briefcase down for a moment while they order a cup of coffee or some other task. When they return, the briefcase is gone, along with any devices that were in it. Besides scolding the employee for their negligence, your first thought might drift to the question of “What about the data found on that laptop?” What might the thief do with such data? The possibilities should have you concerned. Should you fail to recover the device, you will want the capabilities to remotely wipe the device of any and all sensitive data. This is to ensure that hackers don’t make use of it against your organization and to comply with various data privacy regulations. While it might stink to lose the device and have to replace it, it would stink more to have that data fall into the wrong hands.

Whitelisting and Blacklisting Applications

Some smartphone and desktop applications will be more secure than others, meaning that you will need to be extra cautious in what you allow applications to access on your devices. While we encourage all users to pay attention to what permissions are granted to applications, this is especially important for businesses. You should have the capabilities to whitelist and blacklist applications based on their potential merits or risks, thus keeping your devices (and data) as secure as possible.

Managing and Tracking Devices

Finally, you will want to consider a method for keeping track of any and all devices used to access your organization’s data. This includes any company-issued devices and employee-owned devices used for work purposes. You want to know who has which device at any given time, when that device was issued, what the employee is using the device for, etc. All of this helps you keep track of devices so that you can be sure they are being used effectively and, most important of all, safely.

Implement a Mobile Device Management Policy

If you want a comprehensive all-in-one policy to keep track of your company’s mobile devices, look no further than mobile device management from Washington Works. We can help your business stay on top of its mobile devices and reinforce best practices at every turn. To learn more, reach out to us at 301-571-5040.