An increasing number of companies are adopting
bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs, which require or allow
employees to use their personal electronic devices to connect to
their employer's computer network for work reasons. Companies
adopting BYOD programs believe these programs increase productivity
and lower operational costs by not having to invest in equipment
for staff. However, these present both operational and legal
challenges to employers.
The IT challenge
BYOD programs enable employees to use various types and
brands of devices, which can pose serious issues for a
company's IT department such as inability to run
company-required software, configuration issues, incompatible
software, etc. Further, employee-owned devices open the
company's network to the possibility of intrusion from
outsiders including hacking and malware. Policies that in the past
were able to be enforced when the employer provided the device,
like password protection, auto lock and
