It is now several years since the scope of Mobile Device
Management (MDM) expanded to become EMM and Bring Your Own Computer
(BYOC) morphed into Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). As mobile
management technologies enable even wider and better risk
management, the consumerisation of IT is pulling the organisational
risk profile in the opposite direction. So should organisations
approach mobile technology choices with risk and controls as the
priority, or should the personal preference of the employees drive
the overall approach to risk when buying mobile phones?
There is no right or wrong answer. Clearly mobile device choice
can be emotive and personal and it depends on what is most
important on a case by case basis. However, blindly pandering to
the 'wants' of employees removes very valuable protections
that would traditionally be seen as 'needs' in any IT
security context outside of mobile.
