Top BYOD Security Risks & & How Mobile Virtualization Preserves Privacy

According to Gartner, 48% of employees will work remotely at least some of the time in the post-pandemic world, compared with 30% before.¹  

Mobile devices are essential to both personal and professional lives, with over 6 billion smartphones in use worldwide. Even before COVID-19, today’s enterprise saw increased use of mobile devices for work functions and growing use of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) by U.S. companies. Employees show increased workplace productivity and satisfaction with personal edge device use. They also reject carrying more than one device making corporate-issued device programs obsolete. Today, 82% of companies have a BYOD policy of some kind, many without establishing proper security policies or best practices.²

Just like their commercial counterparts, Department of Defense (DOD) personnel need secure digital access to government data and applications, controlled unclassified information (CUI) and classified, from their personal devices easily, at scale, and without risk of data loss and privacy breach.  

While employees prefer personal mobile device use and private-sector employers have had to allow it, granting remote access from the edge presents security risks to enterprise networks and systems. Although some of the same risks apply to mobile devices as PCs, using the same security protocols does not cover the full spectrum of BYOD security risk. Enterprise risk management must evolve to incorporate mobile-specific security solutions.

The Situation

Secure, remote access to enterprise apps and data from the edge is the key to connectivity, increased productivity, and economic sustainability in today’s work-from-anywhere environment, but heavy reliance on mobile devices with their inherent security risks creates vulnerabilities for both enterprises and end-user privacy.  

Cybersecurity attacks on mobile devices continue to put organizations at risk for theft, ransomware, and espionage. Here are some startling stats:  

• 42% of organizations report that vulnerabilities in mobile devices and web applications have led to a security incident.³  
• 97% of respondents believe that malicious mobile apps or extensive mobile app permissions, such as access to contacts, SMS, camera and microphone, pose a security threat to their organization and could result in the leakage of sensitive data.⁴
• 53% of organizations experienced a mobile or IoT-related security incident that led to data loss or downtime in 2024.⁵  
• 45% of employees admitted to engaging in actions they knew were risky on mobile devices.⁶  

All this combined with the fact that most edge devices do not have security solutions and may even be running out-of-date operating systems. With remote work becoming the norm, we must reconsider how we secure the edge.

The Problem

Understanding the scope of mobile threats means looking at a range of security concerns. Three major BYOD risks include: threats, software vulnerabilities, and behaviors and configurations. Each organization must assess these factors as they relate to their business, but there are general consistencies in these risks facing enterprises today. An overall understanding of the mobile risk landscape is imperative to keep pace with increased remote work, mobile device use, and the future of enterprise IT.  

Mobile Threats

Mobile devices face the same threats that traditional laptops or PCs have to include malicious attacks on apps, devices, services (like email or messaging) and even web content. According to Security.org, “17% of adults run antivirus programs on their mobile phones.” So, organizations that are offering BYOD programs must start from the position that the device is compromised. The mobile security experience is very different from the typical laptop user. A laptop normally connects to a network and is stable for a period of a time. The mobile device (smartphone/tablet) is constantly bombarded with connections from mobile towers, networks, and Bluetooth communications. With many people using their mobile devices as their virtual wallet, the risk from Near Field Communication (NFC) is also significant. These risks include eavesdropping, data tampering, and malware infection.  The lack of inherent security coupled with exposure means that mobile devices are ripe for compromise. Threat actors have nearly free range to steal sensitive information, set access control for further exploitation, or add an device to a botnet.  

Vulnerabilities

A few vulnerabilities stand out when it comes to mobile device security. According to Now Secure, “86% of enterprise apps use dangerous permissions.” Mobile apps are a significant concern because end-users select apps based on personal preference. The enterprise has no control over what is used, nor are IT departments able to vet them. Security vulnerabilities are also present in out-of-date devices. End-users not only control their apps, but they also decide when they update or patch their devices, leaving them open to attack. Only with an official and policed enterprise-wide BYOD security policy can these vulnerabilities be eliminated. And many users have no mobile security on the device.

Behaviors and Configurations

User behavior is a significant factor in enterprise BYOD risk. Employees access sensitive information and store it on their mobile devices. They also use public cloud-based storage services and access compliance data such as credit cards or PII without adequate network security protection. Data leakage is a risk when stored on a vulnerable, unsecured employee device lacking a sufficiently strong password or PIN. Another behavior-related problem is accessing and trusting unknown networks. As users access numerous WiFi networks daily from multiple devices, each connection poses a threat to the enterprise. Web and content risks in this category are related to opening malicious content that can infect devices and lead to a security breach.  

In addition to these BYOD risk components, organizations and government agencies must consider the user experience, employee preferences, and their privacy when implementing a solution.

Privacy Concerns

While many companies look to mobile device management (MDM) to address these issues, it’s critical to note MDM’s drawbacks. MDM solutions demand strict data security settings, deny web traffic, and otherwise intrude on user experiences requiring end-users to surrender their phones’ control and allow corporate visibility into their personal data. With MDM, personal information is visible to the organization and can be remotely wiped, invading personal privacy and raising liability concerns for the enterprise. Many employees resist, circumvent, or refuse corporate MDM solutions rendering them ineffective and a waste of corporate resources.  

The Solution

Virtualize the workspace, eliminate BYOD risks, and preserve end-user privacy.  

Hypori challenges conventional thinking and proposes that organizations secure their data, not the device because data on the device is vulnerable. Hypori secures the enterprise data and apps in the cloud, does NOT transmit data to the device, and does NOT leave data at rest on the device. The Hypori app can be added to any edge device to deliver one, or multiple, zero -trust, 100% separate virtual workspaces that preserve end-user privacy while enabling enterprise access and employee productivity. This approach offers a scalable security solution for modern BYOD environments.

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Sources:  

1. https://www.gartner.com/en/human-resources/trends/remote-work-revolution  

2. https://www.ntiva.com/blog/bring-your-own-device-byod-policy#:~:text=BYOD%20Statistics%20in%20the%20U.S.,BYOD%20security%20policy%20in%20place.  

3. https://purplesec.us/resources/cybersecurity-statistics/

4. https://www.lookout.com/news-release/lookout-survey-reveals-critical-gaps-in-mobile-endpoint-protection-that-could-compromise-sensitive-corporate-cloud-data

5. https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-business-2024-mobile-security-index-risks-mobile-iot-security?utm_source=chatgpt.com

6. https://46745145.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/46745145/MAPS_MTD/REPORT/GEN/Global%20Mobile%20Threat%20Report%202024%20FINAL%20(1).pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com