3 Steps to Improve Mobile Security Employee Devices

Work happens on phones and tablets now—email approvals, client messages, field apps, sensitive documents. That convenience can quietly widen your attack surface if devices aren’t managed. The good news: you don’t need a 200-page policy to make a big dent in risk. Start with these three practical steps and you’ll cover the majority of real-world incidents.

Step 1: Keep devices up to date (and prove it)

Unpatched devices are your soft underbelly. Most mobile compromises exploit known issues that already have fixes. Your goal is simple: reduce patch latency, the time between a fix being released and your devices actually running it.

What “good” looks like

• Automatic OS & app updates enabled on every device.

• Minimum OS version enforced; block access from outdated devices.

• Update windows defined (e.g., install within 7 days; critical updates sooner).

• Jailbreak/root detection with automatic quarantine.

How to put it in place (fast)

• Roll out a lightweight MDM/UEM (even a basic tier) to set global update rules and report on compliance.

• Create one baseline per platform (iOS/iPadOS, Android/Android Enterprise) with the same essentials: auto updates, screen lock, encryption, and blocked risky settings.

• Use conditional access so out-of-date devices can’t reach email, file shares, or VPN until they’re compliant.

Document your patch SLAs and keep the reports—if you ever need to demonstrate due diligence, those screenshots and export logs are gold.

Step 2: Encrypt data and lock access with strong identity

If a device is lost or stolen, encryption is the difference between “minor inconvenience” and “reportable incident.” Pair it with a strong identity so only the right person, on a healthy device, gets in.

What “good” looks like

• Full-disk encryption on by default (modern iOS and most Android devices support this out of the box).

• Screen locks with biometrics + PIN; short auto-lock timers.

• Phishing-resistant MFA (app-based, device-bound factors preferred).

• Work/personal separation on BYOD (container or work profile).

• Per-app VPN for business apps that touch sensitive data.

How to put it in place (fast)

• Enforce encryption and lock settings via MDM profiles (no user-by-user tinkering).

• Enable app protection policies: restrict copy/paste, screenshots, and backups for work data where appropriate.

• Use platform features for BYOD

  • iOS/iPadOS: user enrollment / managed Open-In

  • Android: Work Profile (Android Enterprise)

• Map access to device health: if the device isn’t encrypted, or the OS is too old, access is denied—automatically.

Communication matters: tell employees exactly what you can and can’t see on their device (e.g., you manage work apps and security settings, not personal photos or messages). Clear, human language reduces resistance and shadow IT.

Step 3: Assume loss/theft—be ready to find, lock, and wipe

Mobile security incidents will happen. Your objective is to contain quickly and recover cleanly with minimal disruption.

What “good” looks like

• Every device enrolled in MDM from day one (joiner → automatic enrollment).

• Remote lock and selective/full wipe tested and documented.

• Real-time inventory of who has what, including ownership (BYOD vs corporate).

• Simple runbooks for common scenarios: lost phone, departing employee, suspected malware, suspicious login.

How to put it in place (fast)

• Automate enrollment (Apple/Android zero-touch programs, QR/auto-enroll links). No device should access email or files until it’s enrolled.

• Pre-build actions in your console: “Lock,” “Selective Wipe,” “Full Wipe,” “Reset Passcode,” and “Move to Quarantine.”

• Practice the drill. Pick a test device each month and run the playbook end-to-end so the team stays sharp.

• Backups and restore paths: confirm users can recover quickly (cloud backups for user data, app re-provisioning via MDM).

Quick setup checklists

iOS/iPadOS (baseline)

• Auto updates: On

• Passcode + Face/Touch ID: Required, with auto-lock ≤ 2 minutes

• Encryption: Enforced (default when passcode set)

• Managed Open-In / app protection: On for work apps

• Lost Mode / remote lock & wipe: Tested

• Minimum OS version: Enforced

Android / Android Enterprise (baseline)

• Work Profile (BYOD) or Fully Managed (corporate)

• Auto updates + update window: Enforced

• Screen lock + strong PIN/biometric: Required

• Encryption: Enforced

• Play Protect + app allow/deny lists: Set

• Per-app VPN for sensitive apps: On

• Root detection & quarantine: Enabled

BYOD vs corporate-owned: a 30-second guide

• BYOD works for lower-risk roles if you separate work and personal data (container) and enforce conditional access.

• COPE/COBO (corporate-owned) suits regulated or high-risk users, shared devices, and teams that can’t afford downtime.

• Most organisations win with a hybrid: BYOD for low-risk, COPE for medium/high-risk.

What to measure (to prove it’s working)

• Patch latency: median days from release → installed

• Compliance rate: % of devices meeting baseline (by team/ownership)

• Time to contain: lost/stolen device locked or wiped within X minutes

• Tickets per 100 devices: trend down as baselines mature

• Shadow IT detections: unapproved apps/services over time

• User sentiment: short pulse surveys after enrollment

Turn these into a simple monthly dashboard for leadership. It builds trust and unlocks budget faster than any slide deck.

Common pitfalls of Mobile Security (and how to avoid them)

• Over-restricting on day one: pilot with a friendly team, gather feedback, then tighten.

• “Set and forget” policies: review baselines quarterly as platforms and threats evolve.

• Ignoring communication: explain why controls exist and what data you do/don’t see.

• Gaps in joiner/leaver flow: make enrollment and deprovisioning automatic, not manual.

• No recovery plan: test wipes, restores, and app re-provisioning before you need them.

Plain-English comms you can share with staff

Getting started this month (a pragmatic sequence)

Week 1: Choose or confirm your MDM. Create iOS and Android baselines.

Week 2: Pilot with one team; enable auto updates, screen lock, encryption.

Week 3: Roll out conditional access to email/files based on device health.

Week 4: Publish the runbook, practice a mock “lost device,” and schedule monthly checks.

Conclusion

You don’t need a sprawling program to meaningfully reduce mobile risk. If you update fast, encrypt and lock, and prepare to wipe, you’ll blunt the most common attacks and accidents without slowing your teams.

Want a right-sized mobile baseline you can deploy in weeks, not months? Book a working session with us. We’ll set the policies, automate enrollment, and leave you with dashboards leadership will love.