Improving Mobile Device Security for Hybrid Work Teams
Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies should be an asset to your hybrid workforce, not a security liability. In the modern hybrid workplace, leaders need to give teams the flexibility to use personal mobile devices at the office, at home, and in the field while maintaining a robust mobile device security posture.
Both personal and corporate mobile devices are vulnerable to threats like phishing attacks, malware and ransomware, security gaps in public wifi, and physical loss or theft. To mitigate risk, organizations are burdened with establishing security policies across multiple device types and operating systems, monitoring and managing a growing volume of endpoints, and making sure employees stick to security protocols.
Today’s teams need to prepare to leverage hybrid work to lower costs and gain a competitive edge. The International Workplace Group (IWG) reports that Canadian businesses have enjoyed over $400,000 in annual cost savings since adopting hybrid work and that 70 percent of leaders surveyed said it’s improved productivity. Mobile device and endpoint security protects the business value driven by hybrid work—which requires maintaining compliance, eliminating expensive downtime, and preventing sensitive data leaks and financial loss.
In this article, we’ll discuss how businesses looking to scale their hybrid workforce can strengthen security posture by improving mobile device security with BYOD policies and technology solutions.
Why Mobile Device Security is Essential in the Hybrid Workplace
As businesses add more devices for hybrid workers, their attack surface expands, meaning that threat actors have more ways to exploit vulnerabilities and reach sensitive data. Verizon reports that the percentage of companies that have experienced a mobile device security compromise increased from 30 percent in 2018 to 53 percent in 2023. Seventy-five percent of companies Verizon surveyed reported mobile phishing attempts on their employees. Cybercriminals are increasingly using SMS phishing and voice phishing to impersonate team members and persuade IT support staff to reset passwords and bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Hybrid workplaces are also at greater risk as they increase their cloud usage and rely on mobile devices to access software tools and data in the cloud. In its 2024 Global Threat Report, CrowdStrike shared that cloud environment intrusions had increased by 75 percent year-over-year. It found that most threat actors are focused on bypassing MFA and stealing account credentials or session cookies, enabling them to authenticate to cloud-based applications like a registered user—without instigating a phishing campaign.
BYOD programs also introduce new vulnerabilities to the attack surface. Team members may download malicious apps or fall victim to phishing through the websites or social media platforms they use in their personal time which could expose authentication credentials and company information. Personal devices may not be up to date, allowing attackers to exploit unresolved security gaps.
Threat actors are becoming more adept at attacking the cloud. They also use generative AI to carry out phishing campaigns and reduce the manual process of finding vulnerabilities. In response, businesses need to ramp up their remote work security posture. Protecting mobile devices limits the consequences of a breach. Securing employee identities across apps and devices ensures that attackers can’t get the credentials they need to simply log in.
Principles of Mobile Device Security
When it comes to security, sophistication is the name of the game. Businesses need to outpace threat actors with a multi-pronged approach and continuous vigilance. These are the cornerstones of a strong mobile device security posture:
1) Balance Protection and Productivity
Using personal mobile devices gives teams greater flexibility, improving productivity and job satisfaction. Remote work security architecture and protocols should be adapted to user’s needs and fit seamlessly into their workflows. Overly restrictive access controls, frequent password changes, or requiring employees to connect to a corporate virtual private network (VPN) can slow work and increase calls to the support team. Providing secure access directly to your corporate cloud, single sign-on (SSO) solutions, and role-based permissions can make security-conscious processes second nature and encourage adherence.
2) Take a Zero Trust Approach
Remote work security isn’t just about technology, it’s also about human behaviour. A zero trust security framework addresses the potential vulnerabilities where people and technology meet. With a zero trust approach, security protocols are designed around the assumption that no user, application, or device can be trusted and must be continuously verified. Users should be given the least access possible and they should be prompted to authenticate their identities and devices whenever they’re working. Even infrastructure like servers and routers should be treated as potentially malicious.
Microsoft Intune mobile device management (MDM) allows teams to configure policies for accessing corporate resources that cover all users, apps, and devices. With Intune, teams can extend their zero trust approach to individual devices by setting up compliance policies that automatically assess whether a device meets security requirements before granting them access to corporate apps and environments.
3) Proactively Defend Credentials and Data
In addition to identity and access management (IAM) strategies like implementing MFA and setting up conditional access, teams should take steps to secure information even if a threat actor gains access to it. Encryption stops threat actors from reading and using files and data they find in your cloud. If an employee’s personal mobile device is lost or stolen, teams can remotely wipe corporate data and credentials. MDM solutions like Microsoft Intune enable teams to encrypt files and data in the cloud and wipe devices as soon as they’re reported missing.
4) Centralize Device and Endpoint Management
With a growing volume of mobile devices and the need to continuously monitor for threats, getting visibility into all devices through a single pane of glass is non-negotiable. Using an MDM platform enables teams to stay vigilant, administer security policy, and track performance throughout the cloud and network of devices. Microsoft Intune mobile device management enables you to secure apps, files, and data in the Microsoft Azure cloud. When integrated with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Intune can also be used as an endpoint security manager, enabling teams to create custom compliance policies, conduct real-time risk analysis, and automate remediation.
Best Practices for Implementing MDM Solutions
Cybersecurity isn’t a one-time, “set it and forget it” initiative. It’s an ever-evolving part of business operations that requires ongoing attention and a continuous commitment from your team. Here are some key best practices you need to prioritize as you get started:
Conduct a mobile device inventory. Identify all mobile devices used within your business and ensure team members are using only authorized devices. MDM solutions like Microsoft Intune mobile device management make it easier to keep track of personal and corporate devices. They also provide visibility into operating system status and whether the device is compliant with current security policy.
Establish BYOD policies. Determine which types of devices are approved for corporate use and clarify how team members should use their personal devices for work. Establish which team members are responsible for upholding security protocols. In a hybrid work environment, it’s not always easy to monitor what employees are doing with their mobile devices. The right cybersecurity solutions enable leaders to give their teams more autonomy without compromising on protection.
Provide regular cybersecurity training to your team. Great cybersecurity solutions can’t always protect against human error. Developing a culture of cybersecurity awareness in your organization empowers team members to avoid falling victim to phishing and uphold rules around downloading apps and accessing corporate data. Offering training to new hires—and throughout the year—keeps everyone up to date on your latest security initiatives.
Invest in monitoring and continuous improvement. The cybersecurity landscape changes quickly. Prepare to invest time into monitoring your perimeter, identifying weaknesses, and completing routine updates. Small teams benefit from engaging an IT professional services provider like IX Solutions to roll out MDM solutions and take care of ongoing maintenance.
Are You Prepared to Protect Your Team’s Mobile Devices?
The MDM experts at IX Solutions can help you take control of your team’s mobile device security with industry-leading solutions like Microsoft Intune mobile device management and Endpoint Manager. We provide the strategy and tools to help you monitor and manage mobile devices while delivering the flexibility and freedom your team needs to do the job right.