How many of your employees are accessing your network with their phone? Most companies do not have the answer to this question readily available and often under guess.

So before we get into all of the details on how to know, support, and defend those Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) let’s get into the basics.

Here are the risks when you add a cell phone or tablet to the network:

• Theft or loss: Mobile phones, smart phones (phones that support email, documents, and applications) and tablets (such as iPads) are getting fancier and more popular all the time. This makes them a target for theft -- hundreds of thousands of mobile devices are reported lost or stolen each year. A thief could use your wireless access, steal your identity and credit card information, or cause you to pay for a new phone and unauthorized charges on your bill.
• Viruses: These devices are becoming more susceptible to hacks. Attackers exploiting vulnerabilities in the software, by writing viruses and other malware for phones and tablets, can disable your device or expose the data stored on it.
• Loopholes in cell phone company security: Some phone companies store your data on their server. Do you trust your phone company to keep your data secure? Phones may not be the best place to store valuable or personal information.
• Privacy: Phone conversations can easily be overheard. Passwords, credit card numbers and other identifiable information may be best discussed in a private place.
• Bluetooth problems: If Bluetooth settings are not correctly configured an attacker can retrieve address book, call history and other information from a target phone, or send a virus over a Bluetooth connection. To avoid these problems, simply disable the Bluetooth component until you need it.