For years, organizations insisted on institutional ownership and control of computing devices used by employees to access business information.  Strict control of the endpoint was, after all, the easiest way to ensure the security of sensitive data.  Unfortunately, those days are rapidly drawing to a close with the consumerization of technology.  Everyone from executives to line employees now carries significant computing power in their pockets and expects the ubiquitous access they enjoy for personal information to extend to their work life.

The era of “bring your own device” (BYOD) computing poses new challenges for technology professionals charged with safeguarding information.  We must identify new strategies to control sensitive information even when it is comingled with personal data on devices outside of corporate control.  At the same time, we must not be barriers to the innovation that drives our organizations forward.  Fortunately, there is a wide array of policy and technical controls available to assist in meeting these challenges.