For many people, there is no distinction between personal and work devices. And this is a danger.
Many of us have experienced that moment of panic when there’s no phone when we’re expecting an important call or email from work. Our work and personal lives have become intertwined electronically via mobile devices as we check email from the car, from soccer practice, and even from bed.
Mobile phones are a powerful work tool, giving people access to productivity apps, communication tools, and freedom from their desk. But how are we putting our companies at risk with this behavior?
According to recent studies, most of us use mobile devices for both work and personal activities, whether it’s checking personal email on a work device or checking work email on a personal device.
And while work equipment is theoretically managed by employers, with IT departments patching vulnerabilities and updating apps, do you know how secure your work device is? Does your employer manage the security of your personal device? Or are they putting each other at risk to some extent?
Risk assessment: mix of work and personal tasks
For many people, there is no distinction between personal and work devices. Big companies may give you a device or have a “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) policy that encourages you to use your personal phone or tablet at work. Small businesses, entrepreneurs, or “gig workers” like rideshare drivers or dog walkers rely heavily on their personal mobile device.
No matter which group you fall into, mobile threats like direct messaging scams or app store security issues apply equally at work.
Is that message really from the boss, asking you to buy gift cards or transfer company funds for an urgent project? Is the app you downloaded to help you manage your various activities legit and safe? Have you securely accessed your work applications or databases so you don’t expose your business to security threats and scams?
Work apps for mobile are huge productivity boosters — categories like PDF editors, VPNs, message managers, document scanners, battery boosters, and memory cleaners. These types of apps are targeted by malware due to their typical signon profile.
Requesting storage permissions, messages, calendars, contacts, location, and even system settings is not uncommon and allows scammers to recover all kinds of work-related information.
Technology has allowed us to work more flexibly, but that flexibility comes with responsibility, ensuring the safety of not only our personal digital lives, but our professional digital lives as well.
Tips for protecting work and personal devices
Actions you can take on your personal device
- • Make sure your phone requires a passcode to unlock it, and set a reasonable auto-lock time
- • Consider using separate apps for work and personal activities, or dedicate a folder or menu on your mobile device to “work only” apps to reduce the risk of accidental disclosures
- • Keep your apps and mobile operating system up-to-date with the latest version available to reduce the risk of known security issues and vulnerabilities
- • Install and use a VPN if you need to connect to public or unknown Wi-Fi networks
- • Be careful when installing new applications on your device
Things to watch out for
- • Watch out for fraudulent or phishing messages and which account they go to. Have you shared your personal email address with colleagues? If not, how did they get it?
- • Take the time to verify the identity of the sender and if it makes sense for him to contact you via your personal email or SMS.
- • Use multi-factor authentication whenever possible and beware of potential scams: Criminals send formal-looking text messages asking for verification with an authentication code, which they can then use to try to get into your account.
Things to check with work
- • Check if your organization has a security policy and make sure you follow the requirements.
- • Install a company-approved VPN when connecting to work applications or databases, or using public or unknown Wi-Fi networks.
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Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
