Ensuring that your company’s data is secure on an employee’s personal Android device whilst also ensuring that none of their privacy rights are violated is a difficult task to achieve. The digital landscape of today demands that such mobile phones are protected with the help of mobile device management (MDM) solutions.
Businesses around the world are taking a more cost-effective approach by implementing bring-your-own-device (BYOD) models and issuing Android devices, it has become integral to implement android device management. However, it is also important to remember that you must ensure that your employee’s privacy is protected amid all the data protection and cyber attack prevention. MDMs are a great solution for balancing out the employee’s privacy whilst also ensuring that the company’s data on Android devices is safe.
The Role of MDM in the Privacy vs. Security Dilemma
MDM offers several technologies that allow companies and businesses to monitor, manage and secure data across their employee’s personal devices including mobile phones. This can be done remotely by configuring devices, enforcing security policies, and wiping off company data from stolen devices.
This can however raise many concerns and questions amongst employees regarding their personal data such as texts, web browsing history and photos being accessible to their employer and create a level of discomfort. However, with an MDM system in place, it is clear that only the company data is monitored and managed and the device is overall protected from potential threats and malware whilst also allowing the employees the freedom to use their phone for personal purposes without having to worry about a violation of their privacy rights.
Best Practices to Ensure a Balance of Privacy and Security
It is crucial to find the right balance between privacy and business security on an employee’s Android device, and this can be possible through the following ways.
1. Clear Communication
Transparency in communication is integral in ensuring that your employees are aware of everything. By clearly communicating the MDM policies the business can ensure that their employees understand why their devices are being monitored, and how the MDM system is crucial for not only the protection of the company’s sensitive data but also for the employee’s own good. Doing this will help build a relationship of trust between the business and its employees while also making them aware of their boundaries.
2. Containerisation
Another effective way to address this problem is by employing the containerization technique. This requires creating a secure and isolated place for work-related data and apps on devices. With the help of this, all other personal apps and data are separated from the corporate data which ensures that the employee’s personal usage of the phone is not monitored. Even in case of the phone being lost or stolen, only the work-related data would be erased, with the personal data remaining untouched, therefore minimizing personal privacy breaches.
3. Use of Secure Apps
Encrypted messaging platforms and apps are another great way of monitoring the access of private company data and preventing cyber attacks whilst also maintaining employee privacy. Secure emails, and protected file-sharing on certain apps that are encrypted would ensure that all the sensitive company data is only being seamlessly shared and accessed by only authorized users. It also further lessens the burden of having to constantly monitor an employee’s Android device as these apps safeguard the business data due to the encryption being in place.
Conclusion
It is not impossible to balance an employee’s privacy and securing your business’s sensitive data. The right policies and practices being implemented can ensure that your business never faces such issues. MDM systems help create a safe and seamless transfer and sharing of business data while also fostering a culture of trust and respect between employers and employees.