In the majority of offices, businesses and workplaces employees are bringing their own smartphones and mobile devices into work every day. It is estimated that the average employee owns at least 3-6 personal devices. Whether these include smartphones, tablets, ipods or kindles, it is fair to assume that at least one of these devices will end up getting connected to your company's Wi-Fi network and it could potentially be used to access your company files. A number of managers and business owners are largely unaware of how much of a security risk this could be.
The main facts that all employees need to be aware of are:
- Human error is still the single biggest instigator for cybercrime.
- Malware (malicious software) for smartphones is on the rise.
- It is now easier than ever to break into someones mobile phone.
- Employees often underestimate the amount of business information stored on their personal devices.
Make smartphones and tablets part of your IT policy
It is important to put strict guidelines in place in order to have absolute clarity over how employees use their devices, so there is no confusion. This could by anything from a rule banning personal devices connecting to your companys wifi, or just putting best-practise guidelines in place to encourage your employees to be cautions when opening unsafe links or downloading unsafe apps. Incorporating smartphones and mobile devices into a formal policy and explaining exactly what employees can and cannot do with their devices will help to minimise the chance of mistakes by human error.
Remember to consider compliance
When deciding upon company policy, decision makers must keep the requirements of compliance in mind. The PwC State of Compliance Study outlines compliance operations in relation to common industry practices. To convey some of this information, we have produced an infographic for you to download, or alternatively you can read our summary.
Train your employees
Most employees dont mean to cause any harm; they just dont realise the full extent to which their actions could potentially compromise security. They must be taught to avoid risks, how to spot problems and how to report any issues directly to their IT department the moment that problems arise. Cyber security and online safety are a key part of compliance for all organisations. To help you get ahead, we have created a number of cyber security resources for you and your staff.
To find out more about compliance in the workplace, including details on how you can get training to make sure that youre compliant with some of the most common UK-wide and industry specific regulations and laws, visit our compliance section by clicking here.
Hayley is a content writer in the marketing team at Virtual College. She has a degree in Journalism and writes articles, blog posts and guides on a variety of topics relating to the e-learning industry. In her spare time she enjoys swimming, reading and creative writing projects.Author: Hayley Tillotson