Free mobile device policy template examples for CIOs

Mobile device management becomes increasingly important as enterprise organizations begin to integrate smartphones, tablets, laptops and other mobile devices into business operations. Whether employees acquire a company-issued phone or computer or bring their own device, organizations must be sure that all company data that passes through the device is secure.

A mobile device policy, or Corporate mobility policy, helps organizations protect information and clarify which mobile devices they support, how users can access company information and how the company will respond if device security is breached.

SearchCIO.com searched the Web for free mobile device policy templates for companies to use as is, customize or replicate when creating their own policies, providing a framework for managing devices in an on-the-go world.

SOURCE: Info-Tech Research Group Inc.
OFFERING: Info-Tech provides a standard mobile device acceptable-use policy template that users can download after providing their email address. The fill-in-the-blank policy addresses devices such as smartphones, PDAs, laptops, tablets and home computers, and it lays out roles and responsibilities related to the confidentiality and accessibility of data, mobile policies and procedures, and other areas.

SOURCE: Demand Metric Research Corp.
OFFERING: Access this free mobile device policy template, which outlines baseline behaviors to ensure that employees using mobile devices to access corporate data are doing so safely and securely. The template defines policies and appropriate use of these devices, lists the range of threats mobile devices pose to enterprise data, and spells out procedures for policy noncompliance.

SOURCE: Sophos Ltd.
OFFERING: This mobile device security policy download discusses technical specifications for approved devices, including operating systems and password configurations, and requirements for users, including a ban on "jailbroken" phones and adherence to corporate encryption standards. It also cautions users considering merging personal and work email accounts on a single device.

SOURCE: The SANS Institute
OFFERING: SANS, a cooperative research and education organization specializing in information security training, offers a PDF download of a detailed mobile device policy template. This fill-in-the-blank example establishes authorized methods for controlling mobile computing and storage devices that contain or access information resources. It breaks down roles and responsibilities and even includes a handy definitions glossary for frequently used mobile terms.

SOURCE: Telesoft Corp.
OFFERING: This white paper from Telesoft featuring a corporate mobile device policy template really delves into the details. It has clauses relating to compliance, device eligibility, acceptable use, financial responsibility and program management, right down to the nitty-gritty of software, applications and ringtone downloads.

SOURCE: SearchMobileComputing.com
OFFERING: This guide to corporate mobile device policy and management, originally a white paper developed for SearchMobileComputing.com, focuses on developing and instituting mobile device guidelines, which should address security, responsibility and education, and enforcement strategies. The guide encourages policymakers to consider questions such as how mobile usage is billed and what happens if a phone is stolen or broken.

Let us know what mobile device policy templates work for your IT department; email [email protected].