BYOD Security Issues – Does Apple Has the Solution

Any writer in the world who is familiar with the BYOD technology can endlessly write about the risks and potential security problems arising every coming day. But, sometimes I wonder that have we approached the risks entailed with this technology in a wrong way. A recently concluded study conducted by the US based managed cloud service provider company reveals that 80 percent of the 700 IT managers surveyed, agree that BYOD is a "new normal" while 45 percent admitted its adoption at their workplace. The second figure disheartens me especially after reading the first figure about acknowledgement of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) as "new normal". However, one point that I would clear now is that BYOD is not at all a new concept. Employees from companies across the US were using their personal laptops at offices earlier too however; this act never got any name. Later with the invention of smart phones and business phones, the concept of BYOD came under spotlight and gathered more recognition.

The surveyors also reviewed the acceptance of Desktop as a Service (DaaS) and found that 51 percent IT managers consider desktops as the safest solution to access data from smart devices. The same number of IT heads considers DaaS as the best solution to eliminate risks associated with the BYOD. Sixty-eight percent IT heads expressed their deep concern about the security of sensitive corporate data. However, 18 percent of them admitted that despite being aware of the security issues, they have permitted their employees to adopt this culture. A Product Management Director employed with a reputed app testing lab said that if enterprises continue to be slow in implementing policies and strategies to strengthen BYOD security, they would have to look for the devices that provide security on their own.

The think tank at Apple had probably realized this and started working on how to make iPhones even better in terms of security. It is expected that the next version of iPhone will feature a touch sensor, which will encourage professionals wanting to use their personal devices for professional purposes and contribute in popularizing the BYOD concept. Experts say that this will be useful, as it will combat one of the major security related risk called the "reuse of passwords". With so many apps available in a phone, users have to enter their passwords repeatedly, which exposes them towards the increased risk of being cracked. Fingerprint sensor based authentication system will eliminate this risk as once you authenticate your device and your device authenticates you, it will start serving you with the cryptographic key.

However, the hitch involved in this does not make it the safest option for enterprises to adopt Apple and rely on them. When you add biometric sensors, hackers will get the chance to figure out how to steal fingerprints from the screen surface. They will also learn new ways of how to transfer malware and steal important credentials. Experts say that it would not be a wise idea to consider fingerprint sensor as a final destination for securing any BYOD device.

Conclusion

According to my observation, business owners should look for something like an authentication solution that can be altered as the device continues to incorporate newer capabilities. Passwords enjoy a very distinguished reputation for the same reason, as you need to enter password to access any device or apps present on any mobile device. Though, they don’t promise to sort out everything, but they have been the most trusted source of providing security to millions and millions and hence, they could be implemented to maximize security at enterprise levels.