BYOD has expanded the threat surface for MSPs because employees now work from home offices, coffee shops, and many other locations using their own phones, tablets, and laptops. That flexibility is convenient, but it also introduces more ways for attackers to get in.

In particular, MSPs are seeing:

• More phishing attempts targeting users on personal devices
• Identity-based attacks that exploit weak or reused credentials
• Privacy concerns when business tools touch personal data on employee devices

Because these devices are not company-owned, MSPs can’t simply lock them down the way they would with corporate hardware. That’s why they’re looking for new ways to secure access and identities in BYOD environments without disrupting how people use their personal devices day to day.

Traditional MDM was built for company-owned devices, not personal phones and laptops. When MSPs try to apply the same approach to BYOD, they run into several tradeoffs:

• Employee privacy vs. control: Deep device control can feel intrusive on a personal device, raising concerns about what the employer or MSP can see or wipe.
• User friction: Heavy-handed controls and agents can slow devices down or change the user experience, which often leads to resistance or non-compliance.
• Limited fit for identity-focused threats: Many current attacks are identity-based (phishing, credential theft), and traditional MDM alone doesn’t fully address that risk.

MSPs are asking for a way to secure access and identities on personal devices while keeping the user experience smooth and respecting personal privacy. That’s where newer, identity-centric approaches come in.

Aura is rethinking BYOD security by starting from its experience in consumer identity protection and applying that to MSP and business needs.

Instead of focusing only on locking down the entire device, Aura’s approach is designed to:

• Secure client access and identities on personal devices, addressing phishing and identity-based attacks directly.
• Reduce friction for end users so they can keep using their own devices in familiar ways.
• Respect employee privacy by avoiding heavy-handed controls that can trigger privacy backlash.
• Be partner-driven, shaped by what MSPs say they need to protect BYOD environments effectively.

This reimagined model helps MSPs balance business security with employee privacy, giving them a way to protect client environments even as more work happens on personal devices, in more locations, and under more varied conditions.