Issue No. 19February 2014
B.Y.O.D.
What is it? and What are the Risks?
B.Y.O.D. – Bring Your Own Device
B.Y.O.D. is the idea of allowing employees to use their own laptops, smartphones, tablets, or other devices in a work environment. Instead of the IT department mandating specific hardware, users are free to use the platforms and gadgets they prefer.
Risks – What you should know
The risks associated with allowing users to bring their own computers or mobile devices into the work environment will vary depending on geographic region, the industry the company works in, and even the specific job role within a company.
Businesses that operate in specific industries, like healthcare or finance, fall under strict regulatory compliance mandates. SOX, HIPAA, GLBA, PCI-DSS, and other compliance frameworks outline which data must be protected, and provide basic guidelines for how that data should be protected. The obligation to comply with these directives does not change just because the data is moved from company-owned equipment to employee-owned devices.
There are frequent reports of sensitive customer or employee data being potentially compromised as a result of a laptop being taken from an unlocked car, or company data being compromised by an employee leaving a smartphone in a taxi.
The challenges of B.Y.O.D. are not necessarily a reason to ban the practice altogether, though. The trend has significant momentum, and there are a number of benefits for both companies and users. The trick is for both to understand the advantages, as well as the potential risks
For more information regarding B.Y.O.D., Contact Us.
MYTH: Mac’s Don’t get Viruses
TRUTH: Mac Devices are capable of getting a virus.
A computer virus is anything that infects your computer and causes it to do something that you do not want it to do, or something that divulges private information to unintended parties.
The popularity of Apple computers, iPads and iPhones has led to explosive growth of their use in business environments. In turn valuable company data is being stored on and accessed by these devices. This situation has given virus programmers and computer hackers great motivation to attache the Mac and iOS software, and this trend will only continue as their popularity grows.
Proof
In 2012 the Flashback Trojan malware infected an estimated 600,000 Macs by appearing to be a browser plug-in, when in actuality the Flashback Trojan was designed to steal personal information. In 2013 Macs operated by Apple employees were infected with Java-related malware when they visited a software development website. As for 2014, there is a Digitally signed data-stealing malware that is targeting Mac users. Scammers are sending emails of “undelivered courier items” and when you click on the link – you are infected.
Anti-virus Protection
Viruses can attack your computers and devices in more ways than one. Internet browsing, email, IM applications, USB drives and networks are many of the ways that a virus can enter your computer.
It is very important that even Mac users install Anti-virus software to protect their computers and devices from viruses, spyware, identity theft, and spam.
Fore more information regarding Anti-virus protections for your computers and/or devices please Contact Us.
KTS Employs Apple Certified Pros!
