Why You Shouldn't Allow Personal Email or Social Media on Company Devices

Cybersecurity for companies has become an increasingly important aspect of business security with the advent of remote work and a global workforce. Prior to COVID, companies had fewer devices to worry about securing since most workers were in-office. This led to companies issuing employees company devices to limit the number of endpoints and cybersecurity risks. Although this helped, employees, are still at risk for cyberattacks by using social media and personal email through company devices.

Dangers of using social media and personal email on company devices

The vast majority of employees assume that company devices are secure and they generally use social media and personal email there. However, many cybersecurity researchers have found that company devices are not as secure as employees think. For example, there have been numerous cases of phishing attacks that have targeted company employees by sending malicious emails through the platform. Additionally, cybersecurity experts have found that hackers often use social engineering tactics to trick employees into giving up their login credentials by posing as other employees or vendors.

Given these cybersecurity risks, it is important for companies to take measures to protect their devices and data. Some ways that businesses can protect themselves from these cybersecurity risks include:

Strategies to protect your business from social media and personal email cyber attacks:

Protecting your business from social media and personal email cyber attacks is crucial in today's digital landscape. Here are some strategies to bolster your defenses:

Implement strong cybersecurity policies:

It's vital that your business adheres to strong cybersecurity policies regarding the use of social media and personal email on company devices. This will be your first line of defense and it will help prevent the vast majority of cyber risks. You can do this by restricting access to these platforms entirely, or by implementing cybersecurity measures like firewalls, antivirus software, and multi-factor authentication.

Educate your employees about cybersecurity threats:

In addition to a strong cybersecurity protocol, you need to also educate your employees about cybersecurity risks. This can include educating them about how to spot phishing emails and providing regular cybersecurity training that covers best practices for using company devices. When employees know about the risks of using their email or social media on a company device, they are far more likely to adhere to the company guidelines. Showing specific examples of how this can damage the company can help further illustrate this point.

Regularly scan your devices for vulnerabilities:

Even with the best protocols and informed employees, you still need to regularly scan all your devices for cybersecurity vulnerabilities. This can include scanning the devices to identify any malware or viruses that may have been introduced, as well as using a vulnerability scanner to identify any potential weak points in the system. Cybersecurity risks are constantly evolving, so it's important to use software to get full visibility of all the risks posed to your devices.

By regularly doing this, you can be sure that your devices are as secure as possible from the latest cybersecurity threats. Using a combination of security protocols, continuously scanning your devices, and educating your employees will give you comprehensive cybersecurity for all of your devices. To learn more on how to secure your endpoints and devices, read our free eBook "Seven Urgent Security Protections Every Business Should Have."