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Digital Transformation

Lack of BYOD policy ‘putting data at risk’

BYOD is still not being managed adequately by many companies, a poll has suggested.

Companies in an array of different sectors are now allowing employees to take part in the ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) trend, but many could be putting data at risk by not informing them about how to use their own devices safely.

This is the discovery of new research by the Ponemon Institute and Acronis, which found that almost 60 per cent of UK firms do not have a policy in place to govern the use of devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.

It could mean that confidential information is vulnerable to theft, corruption and hacking as soon as it leaves the workplace.

Some 80 per cent of organisations admitted they had not provided any education on BYOD – while 31 per cent were getting around the problem by banning BYOD altogether. However, this is likely to hold them back in the long term.

Just 21 per cent of respondents required users of personal devices to password-protect them, while 18 per cent made it necessary for those leaving the company to wipe any potentially sensitive information for data protection reasons.

It comes after research commissioned by the Information Commissioner’s Office found that almost half of UK adults are now involved in BYOD for work, but only around a third have ever been given guidance on it.

This is significant, as 37 per cent were editing work documents on personal devices and 36 per cent were storing them.

"BYOD is a huge opportunity for companies, but our research shows troubling signs of negligence in the face of these dangers. However, with policies and solutions that manage the flow of data between multiple devices and environments, companies can practice safe BYOD with confidence," said Rick Powles from Acronis.

One way in which this can be done easily is by getting in touch with Dajon Data Management and asking our experts to implement storage solutions that can be accessed quickly by staff without compromising security. Give us a call to find out more today and you could be BYOD-friendly in no time.