Companies Should Consider Issuing Secure Devices To Employees
A CEO just called me upset that his company suffered a security breach that cost him ₹50 lakh. As we discussed overall security improvements, we discussed the devices team members use. I suggested the following:
Offer an iPhone to anyone who uses an Android phone or an iPhone that doesn’t support the most recent iOS. Offer a choice of an iPhone SE (2020) or iPhone XR, depending on whether each person prefers a small or a big screen. Both cost less than ₹ 50,000, if you’re cash-strapped. You don’t need the latest and greatest iPhone, since smartphones have stagnated, just any that runs the latest iOS.
In addition to an iPhone, offer the choice of a Chromebook or an iPad Pro 13-inch instead of a laptop, since these run more modern and safer operating systems. Accessorise the iPad with a Magic Keyboard and an Apple Pencil, to make the most of the device, and increase the chance that people will stick with it 1.
For anyone who doesn’t like a Chromebook or iPad, offer a Mac instead of Windows. Macs aren’t as safe as iPads or Chromebooks, but safer than Windows: Macs have a permissions system that prevents unauthorised access to files, camera, etc. They come with full disk encryption enabled, while my Windows laptop doesn’t, and doesn’t even support it unless I pay more to Microsoft. Macs come with System Integrity Protection, T2 and Secure Enclave.
Consider the iPhone, iPad and Chromebook to be Tier 1 devices in terms of security. The Mac is Tier 2, and Windows and Linux are tier 3. Offer a tier 1 device to everyone — both new employees and existing ones. Offer a tier 2 device to anyone who doesn’t prefer a tier 1 device. And offer a tier 3 device only to people who prefer neither a tier 1 nor tier 2 device.
These devices will be company-owned, and reused when an employee leaves. They also last for many years — my iPad failed after seven years of use. So they’re a good investment.
These will keep company data safer at a fraction of the cost of a security breach. And they’ll make some people happy as a perk.
If someone returns the iPad and requests a laptop, it defeats the point of buying them the iPad in the first place. So you want to invest in accessories that let them use the iPad to its fullest.
After two months, ask them if they’re using the Apple Pencil, and if not, ask if you can give it to someone else instead.
If someone is unsure whether an iPad or Chromebook works for them, offer them a chance to try it out and reassure them that they can try it out for a month or two and always exchange it for a laptop if it doesn’t. This reduces the friction to trying them out. People are hesitant to accept a new device they’re not familiar with because they may be concerned that they’ll be stuck with it, and you want to reassure them that they can always go back without a problem.