Mobile device security
If your employees use mobile device for work, establish best practices for mobile device security to ensure sensitive data cannot be compromised.
Quick tips
With the increased reliance on mobile devices to conduct day-to-day business activities, the need to secure these devices is more important now than ever before. Ensuring both you and your employees know how to protect and safely use your personal and business devices is a crucial element to mobile device security.
Use passwords
Ensure that all of your mobile business devices have system access passwords and are locked when not in use.
Activate features
Be sure to activate security safeguards on mobile devices. Most mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have security features and are able to run anti-malware software.
Examine
Consider the risks and benefits of using mobile devices in your business, and set appropriate boundaries around who uses them and when they are used.
Decide
Choose whether employees can use personally owned mobile devices for business purposes.
Verify
Speak with your mobile service provider or visit the website of the device manufacturer for advice before purchasing tools to support your plan.
Develop
Develop policies and guidelines for business-owned mobile device use. These can be device specific or general best practices that should be integrated into your cybersecurity policy.
Plan
Create a plan for the management of your business’s mobile devices. This could include remote access controls or the ability to block certain functions.
Record
To account for potential loss or theft, record the serial numbers of all mobile devices used for your business and keep an inventory of device assignments. Ensure employees return all devices when their employment ends.
Tablets/Smartphones
Tablets and smartphones offer incredible functionality, including the ability for users to create, store, send, and modify data with ease. However, there is potential for misuse of these devices by employees and/or fraudsters if the device is hacked or stolen. Due to their size and value, these mobile devices are a common target for theft.
Taking this into account, along with the potential of being compromised through malware, consider the negative impact the loss of these devices could have on your business. After all, these devices most likely contain sensitive information or key communication tools for accessing your business network.
Here are some tips to secure your business tablets and smartphones:
Passwords protect
All mobile devices should be set up with a system access password. This helps to ensure devices are locked when not in use. Additionally, password protection makes it harder to access sensitive information stored on the device if it is lost or stolen.
Backup and protect
It’s important to back up your device on a regular basis. Additionally, to help safeguard sensitive information, ensure you are running appropriate security apps. These may include encryption locators for a lost device and anti-malware software.
Report loss or theft
Instruct employees to immediately report the loss or theft of a business smartphone as soon as it comes to their attention. This action will support your efforts to recover the device or remotely delete sensitive information from it.
Report an incident or suspicious activity