'Shadow BYOD' Practices Put Gov't Data at Risk
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'Shadow BYOD' Practices Put Gov't Data at Risk
Federal agencies should implement mobile-device management and other security measures to protect their data while letting employees use their mobile devices. -
High BYOD Use
50% of federal employees use their personal devices for work email, and 49% use their personal devices to download work files. -
Using Personal Email
24% of federal employees send work documents to their personal email accounts, and 17% store work-related documents on file-sharing apps. -
Security Risks
While only 7% of federal employees have jailbroken or rooted the devices they bring to or use at work, 57% of employees who have done so have access to work documents on that device and 65% have access to work email. -
App Buying
24% of federal employees are downloading apps to their mobile devices outside official app stores. -
Malicious Software
18% of federal employees with personal or government-issued smartphones have encountered malicious software; 19% were Android users and 14% iPhone users. -
Ignoring Mobile Policies
40% of agency employees ignore rules prohibiting personal smartphone use at work, saying the rules have little to no effect on their decisions. -
Bad Behavior
37% of employees are willing to sacrifice government security to use a personal mobile device at work although they are aware of security concerns. -
Lack of Security
49% of federal employees do not use a security app or solution installed on the mobile devices they bring to or use at work; 13% use unsecured devices for reading or downloading work-related documents. -
More Safeguards Needed
Although 58% of employees are aware of the security concerns with their personal mobile phones at work, 85% continue to use their personal devices for potentially risky activities. -
Compromising Data
48% of employees said they aren't permitted to store work-related files or info on their personal devices, yet nearly 30% said they do.
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Why Metrics Matter to the Channel Many federal employees are using personal devices to access potentially sensitive government data and are engaging in risky behaviors that could put the devices and data at risk, despite acknowledging policies that prohibit them from using these devices at work, according to a new survey of 1,000 U.S. federal employees. The study, released by mobile security provider Lookout, finds that at least half of federal employees are using their personal devices at work and many are engaging in a "shadow BYOD" practices. Even if government agencies have BYOD, or bring-your-own-device, policies or rules in place, employees are ignoring them. Lookout's own data supports the survey findings. In an analysis of 20 federal agencies, Lookout found 14,622 Lookout-enabled devices associated with those agency networks, which encountered 1,781 app-based threats. Here are the key takeaways from the survey that indicate the need for government agencies to implement technologies around device management and mobile security to protect their data while allowing employees to use their mobile devices.