“When a mobile device management platform is used, IT admins can’t view any of this personal information, nor should they be able to,” he continued. “Certainly, Miradore’s MDM platform does not give employers the ability to do this.” Mäkiniemelä likewise believes it is somewhat questionable to restrict what sites a user visits on a personal device unless the employee has explicitly agreed to the restriction and there’s a policy in place clearly detailing what constitutes a “questionable site.” “This is why comprehensive acceptable use policies and employee monitoring disclosures are critical for BYOD workplaces,” he continued. This kind of scenario is an example of why mobile device management (MDM) software is a solution to many of these problems. “With Miradore’s MDM platform, neither company IT managers nor Miradore can track web browsing history, chat logs or similar data, yet MDM still gives employers the right to restrict access to specific websites,” explained Machinimas. The platform does, however, give employers the ability to review a list of installed software for the purposes of identifying potential security vulnerabilities associated with malicious software or legitimate programs that are missing important updates. “If MDM is being used and a vulnerability has been identified, company IT could remotely address the issue without needing to involve the employee,” Mäkiniemelä continued. Plus for SMBs Employee-owned and managed devices provide an efficient, costeffective option for SMBs that may have budgetary challenges. But employers can take steps to mitigate the issues that may arise, Mäkiniemelä said. “The best solution would be to require employees to enroll their personal devices in a mobile device management program,” he said. “While there would need to be clear policies and procedures in place to govern how and when this software is used, it is the simplest and best solution to solve some of these issues because certain maintenance/security tasks could be automated, and technical information about each device would be accessible in a centralized location. Some MDM solutions are affordable or even offer a free version that is easily deployable and realistic for SMBs to manage, Mäkiniemelä added. “If for whatever reason mobile device management software is not a viable solution, the next best option would be for companies to clearly outline expectations and provide resources to teach employees the best practices for maintaining the performance and security of their device,” Mäkiniemelä advised. A few examples including outlining a policy that requires employees to check for software updates on a weekly basis and providing how-to articles detailing the process for creating a strong password or reporting suspicious emails to company IT. “Policies and resources like these can help reduce the likelihood that IT support will be needed for common technical issues,” he said. Security concerns When employees use their own devices, security issues certainly are heightened, but employers can take steps to help mitigate concerns in this area. “The two most important resources an employer can provide to employees using personal devices are comprehensive training and convenient self-assessment tools,” Mäkiniemelä recommended. “Staff cybersecurity trainings are a valuable tool to help ensure all employees are on the same page when it comes to important topics like passwords, software updates and anti-phishing best practices. It also gives employees the opportunity to bounce questions off one another in a setting where they may be more comfortable voicing their questions or concerns about cybersecurity issues.” Self-assessment tools are important because they provide employees with the resources needed to assess the security condition of their devices. This could be a checklist with things such as “change key passwords,” “check for software updates,” and “run an antivirus software.” Employers may want to require workers using their own devices to run through the checklist on a regular basis. “Providing these tools to all employees is important because without an MDM platform, company IT can’t be looking out for every possible threat on every device at the same time, and this gives individual employees the tools they need to take some of that burden off their IT team,” Mäkiniemelä said. “This is especially important for SMBs with a limited number of IT professionals” One finding from the report that stood out to the Miradore team was that 42 percent of respondents preferred using an Apple as their mobile device, but 38 percent prefer a PC for their work laptop. “One of the key things we learned as a society from watching work trends change over the pandemic was that employees really prize flexibility,” Mäkiniemelä said. “This survey helped confirm our belief that an employee’s desire for flexibility extends to their work devices as well. We saw respondents express a range of preferences about the device they like to use for work, and employers should take note of that.” J Sami Mäkiniemelä, Miradore CSO CONTROL 28 REMOTE WORK SOLUTIONS rwsmagazine.com
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