Security concerns still prevalent with BYOD and cloud options

Bring your own device (BYOD) policies and cloud computing are changing the way businesses operate. As with any new big industry trend, there are concerns – mostly with security.

These were all topics of Guidance Software’s 12th Annual Computer and Enterprise Investigations Conference (CEIC) back in May. On July 19, the results of a survey conducted with the attendees of the conference have been released and they show that cloud computing, security and BYOD top the list of concerns.

“As this survey shows, the computing infrastructure evolution to the cloud and to mobile devices produces new digital investigation challenges,” said Victor Limongelli, president and CEO of Guidance Software in a press release issued by the company.

According to the numbers, 78 percent of respondents said their companies let employees use their personal devices for business functions. When it comes to the impact the cloud will have on organizations, 54 percent expected it would complicate data collection.

On the side of security concern, respondents cited a number of issues including advanced persistent threats (45 percent), insider threats (30 percent) and length of time it takes to resolve attacks (25 percent).

A new infographic from telecommunication company Digium backs up the concerns of companies. Small and midsized businesses (SMBs) spend $126,000 on mobile security every year and 25 percent of IT staff believe it is a headache for their department to manage BYOD.

Many businesses are dealing with these new challenges that, if handled properly, can provide many benefits. Partnering with a trusted IT provider like CTI Technology can ensure that a proper solution is deployed.