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TrueConf: BYOD Benefits and Video Conferencing Security

January 22, 2014
Alina Krukova

Alina Krukova

Categories: Reviews

BYOD by TrueConf

Ten years from now, about 50 billion IP-supporting devices will be produced and used all over the world. Mobile platforms have significantly changed business processes, increasing employee mobility and the speed of business, but jeopardizing the safety of corporate information.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) practices are gaining increasing popularity in video conferencing solutions. Companies are increasingly implementing these solutions in order to improve the efficiency of their business. Video conferencing allows employees to work anywhere, regardless of their location. This, in turn, gives more freedom to employees, improves and increases workflow, and increases their loyalty to their employer.

Most businesses now use some form of the popular BYOD concept in one way or another, often without sufficient preliminary analysis of benefits and risks. As a specialist in virtual communications, TrueConf would like to advise their customers about both the possible challenges and benefits of BYOD.

Benefits of BYOD

The BYOD model has the potential to create substantial savings, as organizations which allow employees to bring their own devices to work do not spend any extra money on corporate phones. In addition, when an employee can work and use the device of own choice, it feels more pleasant than the use of unfamiliar corporate devices.

Another advantage of BYOD is that it supports mobile and cloud-oriented IT strategies. Employees can access working papers from their personal mobile devices, and thus stay connected to the network, where they are able to promptly fulfill their tasks.

Challenges of BYOD

Despite all the advantages of BYOD, implementing in an enterprise may create risks for data security. Firstly, data loss and unauthorized interception may occur during the transmission of information via the Internet. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to data loss prevention tools to prevent this from happening.

The risk of loss of the device itself is even more dangerous: unlike a corporate laptop, a private cell phone is not guaranteed to request a secure password when you turn it on. That is why we now see greater activity in this area among developers, who are creating products which aim to add means of personal data protection to personal devices.

Blackberry

A best-practice example is the inclusion of a fingerprint sensor in the new iPhone 5s or the utilization of VMWare Horizon to manage and access enterprise applications on personal devices securely. Additionally, there are robust VMWare backup solutions in place, such as NAKIVO Backup & Replication, which safeguard data from loss, further enhancing security measures for personal devices. For a more classical approach, Blackberry’s use of the Blackberry Enterprise Server in their smartphones also provides acceptable security. The data is not stored on the device itself, and all operations with content are performed via a secure channel on the servers of the manufacturer.

As well as generating security issues, the use of personal mobile devices may affect the efficiency of employees who are unable to set personal goals and manage their time away from the office, and calls into question the rational use of working time. There is no corporate firewall, limitation of user rights or access to the distractions of social media, such as Facebook access.

Our Advice

Make sure to protect your corporate data by selecting BYOD applications which provide sufficient security. Every business application should require an obligatory sign-in and security authorization from the employee before every work session. The application must also ensure the availability of mandatory defense protocols (SSL/TLS) and traffic signal encryption (AES-256 or GOST) when connecting to corporate resources.

It is essential to have certain corporate rules governing remote work with business applications, such as the restricting the use of employees’ devices within a closed corporate network. This will significantly reduce the risk of information leakage. Enforcing the use of a locking system on a device (such as a PIN, password or unlock pattern) will also increase security.

BYOD Security in TrueConf Solutions

One of the top benefits of TrueConf products are the built-in security features. TrueConf BYOD solutions are among the safest on the market because they were originally designed for use in private networks without needing to connect to the Internet. In this case, it is enough to open a single TCP port for network administrator to maintain proper TrueConf operation.

Trueconf Server Scheme

By default, all connections between client applications and other TrueConf solutions are installed in secure mode (SSL), and the transmitted data is encrypted using advanced algorithms, such as AES-256. The use of complex and efficient algorithms and proprietary codecs for compression and transmission of information does not allow the interceptor to reproduce it using standard protocols and codecs.

When considering whether or not to implement BYOD in your workplace, it is important to remember that, while including many benefits, it also entails certain risks. By creating an implementation plan, researching and enforcing corporate security, and selecting the right applications and devices, you can reduce the risks and increase the rewards found in increased employee satisfaction and a streamlined workflow.

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We hope that our article will help you make the right conclusions about BYOD.


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