SMEs failing to acknowledge BYOD risks

Almost a third (32 per cent) of small business owners remain complacent about the security risks of Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) schemes in the workplace.

Many SMEs still have no plans to invest in mobile device security despite the fact BYOD is now a “widely accepted business practice” among companies of all sizes.

A new study by Kaspersky Lab found that almost two-thirds (62 per cent) of business owners and employees operate personal mobile devices at work.

The survey found that the majority of small firms feel the basic security tools offered within free software is sufficient. More than 80 per cent of business owners surveyed had no interest in information regarding the security management of personal mobile devices.

Employees themselves don’t appear to be taking responsibility for the security of their own devices either. More than nine-in-ten (92 per cent) store sensitive business data on the mobile devices they use both for work and recreational activities.

The general trend of apathy continued with 60 per cent of employees concerned about the prospect of surveillance and information theft through their mobile devices, but they don’t proactively protect themselves – relying on their employers to do so for them.

Konstantin Voronkov, head of endpoint product management, Kaspersky, said: “It is increasingly rare to come across a business professional who doesn’t use their own mobile device for work.

“A laptop or smartphone enables you to do a large part of your business tasks remotely, from any global location.

“However, the loss of important corporate data via personal devices is a common occurrence, and a negligent attitude towards the security of mobile devices could pose a serious risk to a company’s business.”

Date published 26 May 2015 | Last updated 26 May 2015