220-1102 Question 519
Single answerBYOD vs. corporate-owned devicesA company allows employees to use personal smartphones to access email and a sales application, but executives are concerned about protecting company data if a phone is lost or an employee leaves the company. The IT technician is asked to recommend the BEST approach that balances user privacy with protection of business information. Which of the following should the technician recommend?
- A
Require all employees to surrender their personal phones and replace the BYOD program with only corporate-owned devices that IT can fully wipe at any time
- B
Implement mobile device management (MDM) with containerization or work profiles so company data can be managed and selectively wiped without erasing personal data
- C
Allow users to install the email app manually and rely on passcodes, because personal devices cannot be managed by the company
- D
Store company files locally on the device and instruct users to back them up to personal cloud storage in case the phone is lost
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
In a BYOD environment, the main challenge is balancing organizational security requirements with employee privacy. Corporate-owned devices generally give IT the highest level of control because the company can fully manage, monitor, and wipe them. However, when employees use personal devices, best practice is to use MDM or similar endpoint management tools with features such as work profiles, managed apps, or containerization. This lets IT enforce policies on business data and selectively remove only corporate content when needed. That approach aligns with common enterprise mobility and security practices recommended by major platform vendors and management frameworks, including guidance around separating personal and organizational data, enforcing access controls, and limiting data exposure on unmanaged storage or personal cloud services.
- A. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because replacing BYOD with only corporate-owned devices may improve control, but it does not best satisfy the scenario's requirement to balance user privacy with business data protection within an existing BYOD environment. Corporate-owned devices are typically easier to fully manage, enforce policies on, and wipe completely, but this option is more disruptive and does not address the stated need for a balanced BYOD recommendation.
- B. Correct.
This is correct because MDM combined with containerization, managed apps, or work profiles is a standard best practice for BYOD environments. It allows the organization to enforce security policies on business data, such as requiring screen locks, encryption, and managed application access, while keeping personal data separate. If the device is lost or the employee leaves, IT can perform a selective wipe of the corporate container rather than erasing the user's entire personal device.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because BYOD devices can often be managed through MDM, mobile application management, or work profile solutions. Relying only on passcodes is not sufficient for protecting corporate data, especially when the company needs the ability to revoke access and remove business information after loss, theft, or termination.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because storing company files locally and backing them up to personal cloud storage increases the risk of data leakage and reduces organizational control over company information. Best practice is to keep business data in managed applications, corporate-approved storage, or secured containers rather than unmanaged personal services.