Many employers are resorting to bring your own device or BYOD policies, due to the majority of employees owing smartphones, tablets, and laptops. One of the benefits of BYOD is that it is cost saving for the employer. The company doesn't have to buy as many devices. The major drawback is the potential for a data security breach in the event that the employee loses their device, it gets stolen, or if they sell it or loan it to friends or family. Most BYOD policies include language that states that by using their own device at work, the employee is consenting to a remote data wipe, if the device is reported lost or stolen, or the employee fired. Employees often do not report missing or stolen devices for this reason, because employees do not want their own personal data wiped from the device as well. There are many legal issues surrounding remote data wipes in this situation. It is, usually, against the law for an employer to wipe any of the employees own personal data, photos, games, etc from a device owned by the employee. While it is possible to remotely wipe select data from a device, the procedure is extremely complex. It involves using secure container solutions for mobile devices. If a secure container solution is not employed, it is highly likely that a remote data wipe can wipe out all data on a device, rendering it useless, which can cause costly lawsuits for a business. If a business is not going to be able to hire qualified staff able to use a secure container solution for data security on all employee owned byods, then the company or business should not allow employees to bring their own devices. The byod policy should be included in the company's employment contract or job offer.
