GDPR and MDM: What Enterprises Should Know
MDM (Mobile Device Management) is a popular solution to help vendors manage and secure multiple devices working on different operating systems and in different locations. This blog explores the significance of GDPR compliance in MDM.
GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation and is a European regulation to protect the PII (Personally Identifiable Information) of an individual. GDPR is an essential element in enterprises because it ensures the safety of customers’ data. Also, the non-compliance with the GDPR standards in enterprises can result in penalties.
1 Overview of GDPR Compliance
This section covers the overview of GDPR compliance to help gain a better understanding of its elements.
Understanding Data Controller and Processor
The data controller is the body that defines the purpose and the means of data collection and processing. On the other hand, a data processor is the body that processes the data of the business’s users on behalf of that business.
To understand this concept better, if a business uses MS Team for all of its internal communications, then the company is the data controller whereas Microsoft is the data processor.
Source: GDPR – Official Legal Text
Obligations of Data Controller
The data controller is responsible for allowing the data processor to collect and process its users’ data. Therefore, the data controller must abide by the following:
- 1) Ensure the collection of data is necessary and per the standards of GDPR.
- 2) Take into consideration all the potential risks that may occur in the processes of data collection and processing.
- 3) All the measures and processes must be reviewed at regular intervals to update them per requirements.
GDPR Compliance in Mobile Devices
Under GDPR compliance, all the devices that have access to users’ data in any way need to have standards for the protection of personal data. An employer must ensure that the company’s processes or workflows are not collecting or interfering with the user’s data. If any of the personal data is collected, it must be with the permission of the user and processed under legal standards.
2 How can Enterprises be Compliant with GDPR in Mobile Device Management?
MDM gives you a better hold of security practices by allowing you to control and manage the devices in a better way. It’s a must that enterprise mobility and GDPR go hand in hand to avoid any sort of security or user rights disputes.
One may argue that fines and penalties are not the worst to happen in case of not being able to comply with the GDPR standards, but in reality, it is. The fine is usually 4% of annual global revenue or the hefty amount of €20 million, whichever among them stands higher. Along with that, it costs the company in terms of its reputation and loss of future business growth.
Considering all this, the following are the five ways to comply with the GDPR in MDM:
1Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)
If put simply, it’s a process designed to help you uncover the potential security concerns regarding the data processing in your system. It helps you identify the risks on the go and take the essential measures to reduce the occurrence of those risks in the future.
As soon as any of the risks are identified, the best practice is to set a policy that reduces its occurrence for users in the future. For example, during risk assessment, you may identify that the location tracking feature of your MDM is non-compliant with the GDPR standards as it is collecting user location data without prompting the user for his permission.
In such a case, you need to set up a security policy right away that enables the MDM to prompt the user for his permission whenever the location tracking feature is enabled.
2Policy for BYOD Devices
Many companies operate on the model of Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) to save resources or for an ease of use. Although it seems like a feasible option in terms of finances, it can pose serious security concerns. Therefore, it’s important that Bring Your Own Device GDPR is in place.
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