Mobile Device Management (MDM) & Data Privacy with Lendis

The use of mobile devices is now an integral part of corporate work. Sensitive data is processed and stored on smartphones and tablets. The GDPR has increased the requirements for companies to protect this data through appropriate technical and organizational measures..

GDPR challenges when using mobile devices

Sending emails, calling partners, or managing customer information on the go—mobile devices like smartphones and tablets help make the workday more productive. Companies are responsible for ensuring that this personal data is protected in accordance with EU GDPR requirements. This results in the following requirements, among others:

• Access to personal data
• Companies must have an overview of and access to existing personal data at all times. This ensures that they can comply with the data subjects' right of access at any time.
• Security of processing
• The GDPR requires a high level of security when processing personal data. Data must be protected against unauthorized access by third parties at all times, both when stored on the device and when transmitted between devices. Security primarily includes a strict separation of business and private data on mobile devices. 
• Documentation of protective measures
• All measures taken to protect data must be documented and serve as proof during an audit by a supervisory authority, an insurance company, or in the event of a claim.
• Right to data erasure
• Companies must be able to delete personal data at any time. This may be necessary if data subjects withdraw their consent for storage or if employees leave the company. It must also be possible to delete company data in the event that mobile devices are lost or stolen.

Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions make it possible to implement the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) appropriately within a company.

Mobile Device Management (MDM) for GDPR compliance

Mobile Device Management (MDM) allows for the remote, centralized management of all mobile devices used within a company. Especially when managing a large number of devices, an MDM solution significantly simplifies fleet management and provides versatile support in meeting GDPR requirements. 

How can MDM support GDPR compliance?

Separation of private and business data

Both the private use of company phones and Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) scenarios require a clear separation of private and business data on the mobile device. This prevents private applications, such as messenger services, from accessing sensitive or personal company data.

Such a separation is easily implemented via a Mobile Device Management solution. To achieve this, a secure workspace is set up on the mobile devices, through which access to company data and applications is managed. Blacklists and whitelists are used to regulate which applications may or must be installed within the workspace.

Defining and applying security policies

MDM allows company-wide security standards for users, devices, and networks to be defined and applied centrally for all devices. For example, global requirements can be set 

• for password length 
• for access to Wi-Fi networks 
• for the use of interfaces such as Bluetooth or cameras

. Furthermore, all data can be encrypted to protect it from unauthorized access.

Data deletion

In the event of theft or loss, the device can still be accessed via MDM. This makes it possible to block access to data within the secure workspace via remote management or even to delete the data entirely. Unauthorized access by third parties can thus almost always be prevented.

Device-as-a-Service at Lendis - Mobile devices & MDM from a single source

Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) is the name of the offering from Lendis GmbH, which allows companies to rent technology for their employees . The highlight: In addition to the product range, Lendis also takes care of setting up a mobile device management solution if required. MDM refers to a solution for centrally managing smartphones, tablets, etc., and controlling access rights via administrators.

The MDM software is set up on all rented devices according to specific customer requirements. The Android, iOS, Windows, and MacOS operating systems are supported. The service provided by Lendis also includes the setup and assignment of user groups as well as the configuration of rights management for individual applications. Finally, training on how to use the MDM software is provided during an onboarding workshop.

With DaaS, Lendis helps companies procure mobile devices easily and manage them efficiently. Thanks to mobile device management, technical compliance with data protection regulations is guaranteed at all times.