Not that long ago, many companies banned employees from using their personal devices to access corporate resources. Today, many companies require it. This “bring your own device” approach to mobile and remote access is convenient for companies and employees, but introduces risks to data security. To protect their resources while allowing employees to use their own phones and tablets, companies need to build in three layers of protection.

Mobile Device Management

The first level of protection is Mobile Device Management (MDM). This approach to security manages devices at the device level. Companies can use MDM to provision mobile devices and control which devices and mobile operating systems are allowed to connect to the corporate network. It allows companies to require the use of a password and lock screen after a set idle period and to encrypt data on the device. MDM also allows companies to remotely erase data if a device is reported lost or the employee leaves the business.

The problem with MDM is that it subjects all data on the device to corporate control. If a company remotely wipes the device, the employee’s personal data on the device is lost along with corporate data.

Related: Mobile Device Management (MDM) Services

Mobile Application Management

Mobile Application Management (MAM) allows companies to manage the applications employees use to connect to corporate resources without placing restrictions on users’ personal applications and data. Through whitelists and blacklists, the business can manage which apps employees are able to use for work. Users can download approved apps from a corporate app store, and business data can be erased without impacting users’ personal data. By supporting the application lifecycle, MAM allows businesses to manage licenses and deploy required patches and updates.

Mobile User Management

Along with those software solutions for managing devices and applications, businesses need to manage their mobile users. They also need to get their users’ cooperation to ensure BYOD devices are used securely. To do this, companies need to define BYOD policies that balance the users’ desires with the business’s needs. Users need to understand what kinds of access are permitted and what is prohibited. The scope of corporate control over the devices needs to be clearly defined; users need to understand the need to use strong passwords and not download unsafe apps or access unsafe sites.

MDM and MAM features are often combined into a suite of Enterprise Mobility Management software (EMM). Prescient Solutions helps businesses address their mobile security needs through a full range of technical and advisory services. Our mobile support experts will help you craft a BYOD policy, deploy MDM, MAM or EMM software to meet your needs, and make sure your backend email and other services are configured to safely support remote access.

We provide ongoing support to ensure your users benefit from the ability to use their own devices and your company benefits from their increased productivity. Contact us to start talking about how to make mobile phones a secure part of your technical infrastructure

Additional Resources

Do You Need a BYOD Policy If You Use Mobile Device Management Software?

Enterprise Mobile Management Isn’t Just About Controlling Devices