By Diana Zelikman, Fueled
To the chagrin of some security conscious IT administrators, more and more employees are bringing their own smartphones and tablets into the office. This generally wouldn’t be a concern if they were not using their own devices to conduct delicate business matters.
In light of privacy concerns, developers are releasing apps that restrict data sharing of sensitive information to ensure that it’s secure from other apps and open networks.  Two apps that have become available over the past few years on their respective platforms, Samsung’s Knox and BlackBerry Balance, offer that kind of security relief for BYOD users.
Listed below are five apps, courtesy of Fueled, Â that we selected that will help you use your smartphone in the workplace while providing protection at the same time.
4 apps to solve BYOD woes
1. Kaseya BYOD Suite – The Kaseya BYOD suite is available on smartphones and tablets.  This particular program is not MDM, mobile device management, and offers its own secure encryption instead of installing a device-level encryption. Microsoft product users will find this suite the most appropriate for their needs. Secure Browse, Secure Docs, and Secure Mail are the three apps that users are meant to install on to their devices.
Secure Browse provides end to end encryption during browsing to create a single sign-on experience and can also be used in conjunction with Docs. Secure Docs has in-app Microsoft Office storage and a document editor which is even supported offline. Secure Mail works with any ActiveSync client and has access to all of its features like calendar, contacts, etc. Learn more about Kaseya here.
2. XenMobile – This app is an EMM, enterprise mobility management, which is a much more comprehensive platform than just MDM alone.  MDM is actually a facet of the larger EMM package. But where this app really does differ from the aforementioned is that it has its own corporate app store made up solely of business apps. Worx Mobile Apps are all compatible for ease of use. Worx offers its own email client, web browser, micro app VPN, and so much more. XenMobile is cloud-based like AT&T Toggle. Another interesting thing that’s offered is a data wipe on corporate information if a device is lost or stolen.  More can information can be found here.
3. MobileIron – MobileIron is a little different from the rest of the apps because they don’t offer an inclusive suite of programs. But they do offer apps that can be used separately as well as together. Advanced Mobile Management, which includes Iron and Sentry, can be purchased on its own or as a part four available bundles. In AMM, the administrator can handle everything from a central web-based console so everything can be controlled remotely. Like XenMobile, this makes locking and wiping devices if they are lost or stolen much easier. Other services that are offered include security, administration, and enterprise integration. Within AMM, Sentry provides access control for authorized devices, secure tunneling for certificate authorized sessions while using apps, data protection, and ActiveSync management for various platforms. Atlas is the reporting console in AMM, it collects metrics from the devices that use the system to monitor them.
There are three other apps that can be bundled with AMM: docs@work, web@work, and apps@work. Docs@work manages corporate documents as well as email accounts. It also has something called SharePoint, a place where secure work collaborations over mobile can happen. Web@work creates a safe environment for web browsing with data-in-motion and data-in-rest security. Different access points for different users can be set from here too. Apps@work includes two other applications, AppConnect and AppTunnel, allow users to use their own non-business affiliated apps without the two different sets of data intersecting. Learn more about MobileIron and their extensive list of products here.
4. FAMOC – This app is an offering from the other side of the Pond, hailing all the way from the Emerald Isle. Available on an impressive amount of platforms in multiple languages, FAMOC is the most accessible app on this list. Like MobileIron, there is a central web-based console but multiple administrators are allowed. However unlike any of the other apps, it’s possible to seamlessly synchronize RIM Blackberry, Lotus Domino, Samsung Knox, and it’s also possible to migrate data from old devices to new ones. There are also three deployment options instead of just one. The software can be run on-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), or Appliance. User experience can also be customized with unique interfaces, features, and branding provided by FAMOC. Further information about the app can be found here.
If you are an IT professional worried about personal devices making their way into your company workplace, the best step you could take next would be to implement a BYOD policy immediately to constrain business information from leaking. By removing the worry of major security risk, businesses can continue to grow unhindered by quickly changing standards and technologies.
Kaseya Suite, XenMobile, MobileIron, FAMOC, Samsung Knox, and Blackberry Balance are just some of the top choices available in making BYOD more practical as well as beneficial.
