What is device compliance and why is it important?
Device compliance allows for automated "checkups" of devices to ensure they meet a baseline standard for efficient operation and proper security.
Device compliance allows IT departments and cybersecurity teams to ensure that devices have met certain requirements that are critical to the efficient operation and security of the device. Some examples of these requirements are:
- Is the data on the device encrypted?
- Is the device's firewall enabled?
- Is anti-virus running and up to date?
- Is the Trusted Platform Module up to date and running properly?
- Is Secure Boot enabled?
Devices are typically checked automatically on a regular basis, and any requirement that is not met raises an alert to the IT and security teams so that they can address the issue and bring the device back into compliance.
How is device compliance used in cybersecurity policies?
Device compliance can be a factor in policies applied to a user's ability to access organizational data. For example, using Conditional Access policies in Microsoft 365, the security team can require that users are utilizing a compliant device before accessing an organization's resources or a subset of resources. If the device falls out of compliance, the user may have their access restricted or revoked automatically until the device is brought back into compliance. This is a useful technique to reduce unnecessary risk within an organization's ecosystem.