CYOD gaining popularity says security expert

While the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) has undoubtedly increased flexibility for staff members and reduced costs for firms, many IT departments are looking to mitigate risks by introducing a culture of Choose Your Own Device (CYOD) instead.

That’s the view of Righard Zwienenberg, senior research fellow for anti-virus and Internet security provider ESET. Speaking at the recent Infosecurity Europe exhibition in London, he said that CYOD might not be for everyone but it has some key advantages over BYOD, particularly for companies that are concerned about the dangers of allowing their employees to work on the same devices they use at home.

What is CYOD?

CYOD exists to bridge the gap between the company’s needs and the personal preferences of staff members. It involves companies giving employees corporate devices which they can control and manage. SC Magazine UK reports that Mr Zwienenberg pointed out that the trend is fine for people who have always used equipment owned by their employer, but the trend may not sit well with those that have become accustomed to utilising their own iPads and iPhones.

He acknowledged that IT departments will likely find managing a CYOD policy difficult because it will involve them having to regularly check that no one is breaking the rules and using unauthorised devices. They will also have the additional task of ensuring that exploits are found and rectified, features are updated and new firmware applied. However, Mr Zwienenberg was adamant that CYOD is better a move than BYOD for most companies because it provides greater security, although small scale security risks such as those posed by USB attachments and changeable SD cards will remain.

Affect on BYOD growth

At this stage, the arrival of the CYOD trend appears to be having little impact on the growth of BYOD. A recent survey conducted by Microsoft found that 67 per cent of people use their own devices at work regardless of the policies put in place by their bosses. Other studies have suggested that number of BYOD devices being used each day will top one billion by 2018 and the market will be worth in excess of $238 billion (£142 billion) by 2020.