Securing Business Data on Smartphones - The Protection You’re Already Paying For

Smartphones are now a core business tool. Email, Teams, files, contacts and approvals all live in employees’ pockets — whether the phone is company-owned or a personal BYO device.

Most small businesses are comfortable with this setup. What many aren’t aware of is that they’ve created a major security gap , often without realising it.

Not because they’ve ignored security — but because the protections already included in Microsoft 365 are simply switched off .

The common setup (and the hidden risk)

In most small businesses today:

• Some staff have company-owned smartphones
• Others use their own personal phones for work (BYO)
• Outlook and Teams are installed everywhere
• Files are accessed via OneDrive or SharePoint

What’s usually missing is any policy or control governing what happens if:

• A phone is lost or stolen
• An employee leaves the business
• A device is compromised
• Business data is copied into personal apps

In that situation, business data walks out the door with the device — and there is often no way to selectively remove or protect it.

What most small business owners don’t realise

If you’re using Microsoft 365, you already have Mobile Application Management (MAM) available to you — even on Business Basic and Business Standard plans .

That’s the key point.

You do not need to fully manage someone’s phone.

You do not need to invade personal privacy.

You often do not need to buy anything new.

You just need to turn on the protection you’re already paying for.

What is Mobile Application Management (MAM)?

MAM protects business apps and business data , rather than the entire device.

It works with Microsoft apps such as:

• Outlook
• Teams
• OneDrive
• SharePoint

This makes it ideal for BYO personal devices , where staff quite rightly expect their personal photos, apps and messages to remain private.

Practical examples of what you can enforce

By enabling MAM, a small business can:

• Require Face ID or a PIN to open business apps
  (even if the phone itself is already unlocked)
• Prevent copying company data into personal apps
  (e.g. WhatsApp, Gmail, personal Notes)
• Block saving business files to personal cloud storage
• Remove only business data from a device
  if it’s lost, stolen, or the employee leaves
• Instantly block access if a device is flagged as risky

From a user’s point of view, very little changes.

From a business point of view, the risk profile improves dramatically.

What about company-owned smartphones?

Company-issued devices often justify stronger controls.

This is where Mobile Device Management (MDM) comes in, allowing you to:

• Enforce device encryption
• Require stronger passcodes
• Fully wipe a lost or stolen device
• Apply stricter compliance rules

MDM is delivered via Microsoft Intune and included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium.

Many small businesses adopt a hybrid approach :

• BYO personal devices → App-level protection (MAM)
• Company-owned devices → Full device management (MDM)

This keeps security proportionate and user-friendly.

Why this matters more than ever

Without these controls in place:

• A lost phone can expose email and files instantly
• There’s no clean off-boarding process for leavers
• Data leakage can go unnoticed
• Cyber insurance and compliance requirements may not be met

With them enabled:

• Risk drops significantly
• Access can be removed in minutes
• Staff experience minimal disruption

And in many cases, it costs nothing extra .

The biggest win: activate what you already own

Most businesses assume improving mobile security means:

• Buying new software
• Rolling out heavy device controls
• Fighting staff resistance

In reality, the biggest and quickest win is far simpler:

👉 Switching on the Microsoft 365 security features you already pay for.

A simple deployment approach

A sensible rollout doesn’t need to be complex:

1 - Review licences and usage

Understand who uses BYO devices vs company phones.

2 - Identify quick wins

Start with app-level protection for Outlook, Teams and OneDrive.

3 - Define a light-touch policy

Clear, fair rules that respect personal privacy.

4 - Pilot and roll out

Test with a small group, then expand.

5 - Review and refine

Adjust as the business grows or requirements change.

Final thought

Smartphone security doesn’t have to be heavy-handed or expensive.

For many small businesses, the smartest move is simply this:

Turn on the protection you’re already paying for — and close one of your biggest security gaps overnight.

If you’d like help understanding what’s already available in your Microsoft 365 tenant, or how to enable this safely and proportionately, it’s usually a much shorter conversation than people expect.