Work may be slowing down during the holiday season, as employees start taking their vacations and spend time away from the office and at home with their families. But it could be a busy time for security risks, especially if your workplace maintains a BYOD policy.
The holidays are when many people will decide to upgrade their mobile devices. According to a new study by Blancco Technology Group, 68 percent of respondents said they were planning to purchase a new smartphone during the upcoming holiday season, either for themselves or as a gift for someone else. Another 10 percent said they might consider such a purchase.
"Most mobile device owners stored both personal and company information on their phones."
According to an article in Wireless Week, which reported on this study, most planned for these new devices to replace the existing ones they already owned. About one-third told surveyors that they would participate in upgrade trade-in programs, while 23 percent said they would sell the old devices and 22 percent said would give them to family members or friends.
Those planning to get new phones are undoubtedly excited about the chance to upgrade to the latest technology. But security professionals should be worried. The study also found that most mobile device owners stored both personal and company information on their phones. This could include emails, intraoffice chat histories, budgets, legal paperwork and vendor contracts.
Smartphone owners might think that simply wiping their phones is enough to get rid of this information for good, but that doesn't always work. Blancco Technology Group found that out of 122 second-hand hard drives and mobile devices purchased on the internet, 57 percent had some residual data. It is absolutely crucial for employees who bring their own devices to work to ensure that these are properly erased when it is time to upgrade.
Agile IT modernization solutions can help companies adapt to the demand of a successful BYOD policy. Inventu's Flynet Viewer meets employer and employee expectations in a way that feels familiar and simple.