[Paper Review] BYOD Security: A New Business Challenge

Kathleen Downer, Maumita Bhattacharya|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jan 6, 2016

Information and Cyber Security22 references3 citations

TL;DR

This paper addresses the growing security challenges of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in enterprises by proposing a taxonomy of BYOD security issues and evaluating existing frameworks. It identifies key vulnerabilities, analyzes solution limitations, and contributes a structured classification to guide more effective, business-aligned security strategies in dynamic BYOD environments.

ABSTRACT

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a rapidly growing trend in businesses concerned with information technology. BYOD presents a unique list of security concerns for businesses implementing BYOD policies. Recent publications indicate a definite awareness of risks involved in incorporating BYOD into business, however it is still an underrated issue compared to other IT security concerns. This paper focuses on two key BYOD security issues: security challenges and available frameworks. A taxonomy specifically classifying BYOD security challenges is introduced alongside comprehensive frameworks and solutions which are also analysed to gauge their limitations.

Motivation & Objective

• To address the rising business risk posed by BYOD adoption despite limited awareness of its security implications.
• To identify and classify the core security challenges associated with BYOD in enterprise environments.
• To evaluate existing security frameworks for BYOD, highlighting their strengths and limitations.
• To provide a structured taxonomy to improve understanding and guide implementation of effective BYOD security policies.
• To position BYOD security as a critical, underappreciated concern in enterprise IT strategy.

Proposed method

• Developed a comprehensive taxonomy to classify BYOD security challenges based on threat vectors and attack surfaces.
• Reviewed and analyzed existing security frameworks for BYOD, assessing their coverage and practical applicability.
• Evaluated frameworks using criteria such as scalability, device diversity support, and integration with enterprise systems.
• Mapped identified security challenges to specific control mechanisms and policy enforcement points.
• Used case-based analysis to illustrate framework limitations in real-world enterprise deployments.
• Synthesized findings into a structured approach for selecting and adapting BYOD security solutions.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What are the primary security challenges introduced by BYOD in enterprise environments?
• RQ2 How do existing BYOD security frameworks address the identified threats and vulnerabilities?
• RQ3 What are the key limitations of current frameworks in handling diverse device types and enterprise policies?
• RQ4 How can a standardized taxonomy improve the design and implementation of BYOD security strategies?
• RQ5 Why is BYOD security still underrated compared to other IT security concerns despite its growing adoption?

Key findings

• BYOD introduces a broad spectrum of security challenges, including data leakage, device compromise, and policy enforcement difficulties.
• Existing frameworks often lack comprehensive coverage for heterogeneous device ecosystems and dynamic access patterns.
• Many frameworks fail to adequately address the balance between user privacy and enterprise data protection.
• The proposed taxonomy effectively categorizes BYOD threats into distinct, analyzable components for better risk assessment.
• Despite growing awareness, BYOD security remains under-prioritized in enterprise security planning compared to other IT risks.
• Framework evaluation revealed significant gaps in scalability and adaptability to evolving enterprise and mobile device environments.