Make IT Asset Management and ITAD Part of Your Data Security Process
When iPhones, iPads, and other Apple devices like MacBooks became popular, thieves, or Apple Pickers, saw stealing them as an easy way to make a quick buck. Now they’re after much more — data. Today’s Apple devices store sensitive data of interest to criminals. Worse, BYOD policies for personal mobile devices are increasingly making it tougher for enterprises to control data security.
Tip 1: Passwords, Passwords and Passwords
22% of 20-29 year-olds admitted to losing a computer or mobile device that gave unrestricted access to work information to whoever found it! This is about 5 times higher than 50-65 year old workers. Nearly a third of twenty-somethings keep their passwords in plain sight.
But – here’s the kicker — they’re also the most informed about the risks.
Use the built-in password protection and encryption in the device and ensure your employees use it to add another layer of data security.
For Macs and iPads, FileVault is a great full disk encryption solution. For iPads, ensure that Screen Control Center, Notifications, and Today View are locked, as well.
Tip 2: Keep track of your device – literally
Always use Apple’s device tracking and locating features for enhanced data security. If you have to, these features will enable you to wipe data off any device if it gets lost or stolen. With such a simple set up, why run the risk of someday needing to wipe sensitive data off a device, only to learn device tracking was never activated?
The downside? Wiping the device means data is gone forever, along with options to control the device remotely. If an employee’s device has been stolen, the tracking features can help you pinpoint its location, so you can alert authorities to help recover it.
Tip 3: The Rickrolling Theory
Applock, a data security feature that allows users to set their device to access only a specific application if it’s stolen, creates yet another obstacle for an Apple Picker.
For example, the chosen app can be a media player, which can be set to play ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ by Rick Astley (recently known as Rickrolling) if the device is lost or stolen to annoy the thief into discarding the device. Alarms and sirens can also be programmed as a scare tactic.
Tip 4: Big Brother mode
Implement Applock combinations of video capturing and/or voiceover apps. Through the Applock feature, an MDM solution can remotely “wake up” the device and launch its video camera, which can record everything around it, providing clues about who has your device. You can use the voiceover app to start talking to the person who has your phone, too.
Though this tactic may not be the best for data security, it can assist in recovering your stolen phone or gather information to decide whether to wipe away its data or not.
Tip 5: Have some faith
Not everyone is an Apple Picker. Sometimes employees simply forget their device somewhere and a well-intentioned person finds it.
Put the device on “Lost Mode” to set a four-digit passcode to protect it, display an onscreen message stating the device has been lost or stolen and provide an alternate phone number. Because the device is locked, the person has only one option: call the number.
For more tips on mobile data security, visit HOBI.com.
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