In the era of remote work, many people tend to use the same devices for personal and professional use. For example, users may send messages or emails from corporate devices , edit personal documents or photos, or participate in video conferences with friends, etc.
Using devices for personal and professional activities can compromise security
None of these actions sound particularly dangerous, but security experts recommend not using company devices for personal use and vice versa. The devices you use for work should not be the same as the ones you use in your personal life, and this is essential for both your own safety and the safety of your employer.
Cyberattacks can have serious consequences for both your employer and you. Even if there is no actual security breach or data leak, you could face reprimand, dismissal, or even criminal prosecution.
See also: QR codes: How do they make you vulnerable to cyberattacks?
Over half of people use corporate devices for personal use (and vice versa)
A survey conducted in August 2020 by antivirus vendor Malwarebytesasked respondents how they use their work devices. The results showed that 53% used company devices to send or receive personal emails, 52% to read news, 38% to shop online, 25% to access social media, and 22% to download or install software unrelated to the company.
See also: Remote work: Many employees handle corporate data on their personal devices
A large percentage of users also use personal devices for work. A report from Morphisec, released in June 2020, found that 56% of employees used their personal computers as work devices. And according to a Kaspersky , 57% of respondents said they checked their corporate emails on their personal smartphones. Only 30% said they never used a corporate device for personal activities.
However, we must keep in mind that survey respondents do not always provide accurate data. They may lie due to embarrassment or fear of possible negative consequences, or they may simply not remember what they did in the past.
Colleagues/employers could be monitoring you
If you think you're not at risk from breaches and cyberattacks, there's something else you should keep in mind when using company devices for personal activities. Most employers are monitoring activity on company devices, especially now that most employees are working from home due to COVID-19.
Research from Skillcast and YouGov has shown that one in five companies (20%) “use technology capable of monitoring employees’ online activity or have plans to do so in the future.” Another survey has shown that employees themselves have reported that there has been more monitoring at work in the past year.
So, if you use company devices for personal activities, your employer or another responsible employee could potentially see your personal photos, read your messages or emails, or gain access to your sensitive documents.
“Cleaning” a corporate device can be a difficult and time-consuming process
Another reason why you should not use company devices for personal use is the possibility of the device being changed.
What happens, for example, if your company gives you a new machine or if you change jobs and have to return the device to the company? In both cases, you will have to “wipe” the device, that is, remove your personal data. And depending on how much personal data has accumulated on the device and how you have organized it, the process can be extremely complicated and time-consuming.
Also, simply copying and deleting personal data does not fully protect your privacy. To keep your personal data safe, you will need to clean the machine's hard drive , which is not very easy when we are talking about a corporate device, since you may have an issue with the company's IT department.
See also: Portable VPN protects your online data
It may be difficult for many people to use different devices for professional and personal activities, but it is necessary to ensure the security of both employees and companies.
Source: ZDNet
