BYOD security (Bring Your Own Device) involves measures to mitigate cybersecurity risks associated with using personal devices for work tasks. While BYOD fosters a flexible work environment, it can also introduce significant cybersecurity risks when connected to corporate networks. Before diving into the risks, it’s important to acknowledge the many benefits of adopting a BYOD security policy.
BYOD Benefits
In general, BYOD adoption cut costs for enterprises as funds allocated towards employee equipment decreases. Employees’ familiarity with their own BYOD means less time figuring out how to work the device, and more time working. Statistics show that 50% of employees feel more productive when using their own BYOD for work purposes. Additionally, research by Samsung and Frost & Sullivan found that the use of personal smartphones enables employees to gain almost an hour more work time each day. This results in a 34% boost in productivity.
For employees, most importantly, the flexibility that comes with BYOD policies has improved the work/life balance. According to research, 80% of employees believe that managing a single mobile device aids in balancing their personal and professional lives. The spillover effects that come with a more balanced life bring benefits to both the employee and the organization. However, BYOD does not come without its setbacks. BYOD security risks are the foremost apprehension and primary driver behind the decision to abstain from adopting BYOD policies (Mobile Device Security).
BYOD Security Risks
Data breaches pose a major security risk with BYOD. When employees use personal devices to access corporate resources, sensitive data such as customer information, financial records, and trade secrets can be stolen or leaked.
Research by Bitglass found that more than 74% of organizations lack a plan to BYOD security risks. Since BYOD act as an entry point for malicious actors, this figure is worrying as the attack surface increases. Furthermore, as we will explain, these entry points usually have lower security levels, thereby facilitating the attacker’s task.
The concern grows when organizational data is stored on BYOD devices, making it even more challenging to secure them. As even when not used for work purposes, BYOD still pose a security threat to the organization.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of some of the security vulnerabilities that will later be related to BYOD.
Lax Security Measures on BYOD Devices
Typically, BYOD will have fewer security features than company-owned devices. As BYOD’s are also used for personal purposes, they are frequently neglected. In doing so, however, the BOYD device is more vulnerable to attack. In some cases, lacks the necessary security software or features to notify the user when an attack is taking place.
Furthermore, employees’ role are one of the greatest BYOD security risks to organizations. Carelessness and negligence when using BYODs can have extremely harmful consequences for the enterprise. The lack of BYOD security measures on such devices, and the other concerns listed below, mean that employee awareness can sometimes be the only barrier between a malicious actor and a successful hardware based attack.
Vulnerable Peripherals Devices: A Major BYOD Security Concern
As employees own the BYOD, they have complete discretion in choosing which peripherals assets to use. This of course depends on the BYOD security policy. Whether it be for financial or aesthetic reasons, an employee might be inclined to purchase devices and/or peripherals from site such as Amazon or AliExpress. And, although such websites offer a variety of options, they also offer manipulated and compromised devices. That glow in the dark keyboard selling for $10 is likely not the most secure.
Unsecure Access Locations: The BYOD Risk of Remote Work
With workers working from home, many organizations are adopting work from home cyber security policies on a more permanent basis. In fact, according to Gartner, 47% of organizations will give employees the choice to work from home on a full-time basis. Furthermore, over 80% will allow employees to work from home at least one day a week.
Depending on the organization’s Work From Home (WFH) policy, remote work can essentially mean access from anywhere with a good internet connection. This, however, means employees are working in unsecure environments such as coffee shops, public libraries, and group workspaces. In fact, as BYODs enable the ability work anytime anywhere, almost everywhere becomes an unsecure location. Think about how many times you have access to work emails while waiting for a flight or at a restaurant. When data is stored on the device, the organization is at risk whenever the device is used. Yes, watching Netflix at the airport on a device with company data puts the enterprise at risk.
Lost/Stolen Devices: A Common BYOD Security Risk
Speaking of unsecured locations, pick-pocketers thrive in busy places like airports. And pickpocketing might not only be the criminal activity the perpetrator engages in. Stealing devices might be just the first step in their attack. Accessing the device could be the actual goal. Even a lost device can find its way into a cybercriminal’s hand. If someone steals or loses a BYOD containing company data, the company faces a significant BYOD security threat.
But why do these factors trigger security concerns? The answer lies in the realm of BYOD security risks, specifically rogue devices and hardware based attacks.
Rogue Devices and Hardware Attacks
When examining BYOD security risks, the significance of rogue devices stands out. These devices, which play a crucial role in hardware-based attacks, serve as tools that attackers have tampered with to execute malicious actions. They are inherently harmful. Since hardware-based attacks need physical access, BYODs become ideal targets for these reasons. They are not only less secure but also more accessible (Raspberry Pi Risks).
Spoofed Peripherals
The significance of BYOD security risks is particularly pronounced in relation to spoofed peripherals. A spoofed peripheral is a type of rogue device that impersonates a legitimate HID Having been manipulated on the physical layer, which is not covered by existing security software solutions, the spoofing device is not recognized as malicious by the endpoint. Of course, to the human eye, the device looks inconspicuous. Thus raises no alarms to the user, either. So, when your phone dies while working in a local coffee shop, think twice before using some stranger’s USB charger. Though your phone might be injected with life, your endpoint could be injected with malware.
Juice Jacking
BYOD security risks can arise at any moment. When your phone dies at the airport, the free charging station might be compromised. When your phone dies at the airport, it is not usually a problem thanks to the many charging stations nearby. But, again, that charger could have been manipulated to do more than just charge your phone. If your phone stores company data, the manipulated charger can access such data without you having the faintest idea. This attack is known as juice jacking.
Maybe you are the type to always have a charger nearby, so you think this does not apply to you. But your BYOD could have been manipulated. The cheap, aesthetically pleasing USB stick, keyboard, or mouse you bought on Amazon might have been a win at only $10… But the losses will be much more than that when the device starts preforming a malicious cyberattack. Yes, sometimes Amazon finds really are too good to be true.
Network Implants
Network implants are another type of rogue device. As network implants sit on the physical layer, they run under the radar of existing network security solutions. This includes NAC, thereby going completely undetected. Again, whether you’re connecting to a WiFi hotspot for work purposes or not, one of the major BYOD security risks is how vulnerable it is to an attack. With no security protection against network implants, you cannot be sure that the access point (AP) is secure. Acting as a man-in-the-middle, the network implant enables the perpetrator to intercept traffic, inject data packets, and even exfiltrate data, all without the victim knowing.
BYOD Security Measures
To mitigate these risks, strong BYOD security measures are crucial. Consider the following BYOD security best practices:
- Network Segmentation: Separate BYOD devices from critical company resources to contain potential compromises.
- Access Control: Employ robust authentication methods to restrict access to corporate data on BYOD devices.
- Encryption: Safeguard sensitive data by encrypting it both at rest and in transit.
- Endpoint Security Solutions: Utilize antivirus, firewalls, and intrusion detection/prevention systems to defend against threats from BYOD devices.
- Monitoring and Incident Response: Continuously monitor network activity and BYOD device behavior to detect and respond to security incidents effectively.
Securing BYOD devices includes protecting them from malware, phishing attacks, and various other BYOD security threats to ensure they don’t become vulnerabilities within your network.
BYOD Security Policy Implementation
A strict BYOD security policy can regulate device use by restricting which devices can be used, as well as where and how. It can also address BYOD security issues by requiring specific security measures on BYODs. While these measures may not detect rogue devices, they can reduce the damage from hardware-based attacks.
One of the vulnerabilities that hardware attack exploits is the carelessness of employees when connecting. This applies whether they are attaching a peripheral to their endpoint or linking their endpoint to a network. Enhancing employee awareness of such attacks will, hopefully, make them more cautious when connecting. This, however, is not a full proof solution. As attackers use extremely deceitful social engineering techniques that even some of the most highly trained professionals fail to recognize.
BYOD Security Solution
In the context of BYOD security, Sepio’s (Asset Risk Management) provides a powerful BYOD security solution. Using its unique in-depth probing capabilities, Sepio’s provides detailed hardware level visibility and verification for IoT/OT/IT devices across the network and peripheral infrastructure, whether the device is managed, unmanaged or hidden. By covering unmanaged devices, Sepio enables the enforcement of Zero Trust on BYODs when applicable.
Furthermore, Sepio’s policy enforcement mechanism controls hardware access by applying strict or granular policy controls. Sepio instantly detects policy breaches and automatically blocks offending devices, preventing attacks. With BYODs offering numerous entry points for attackers, a robust BYOD security solution is crucial to mitigate threats effectively.
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