Pokemon_gameIt may be new on the market, but Pokémon Go has already made their mark as the game of the summer. Don’t be fooled by its short history, this mobile game has already become one of those most popular in history, and has conquered millions of Smartphone users all over the globe.

Users worldwide are changing their everyday habits with Pokémon Go, an entertaining treasure-hunt-esk game that combines our surroundings with augmented reality and geolocation features. These characteristics are also what makes this game so dangerous, setting off alarm bells in offices all over the world. Now, players are hunting these small virtual creatures in the office.

The International Association of Information Technology Asset Managers (IAITAM) advised employers of the risks that come with use of Pokémon Go in the workplace, especially if the device connect to the company network.

IAITAM advises that security managers in corporations prohibit the installation this game in terminals belonging to the company and employee-owned devices used for work (BYOD—Bring Your Own Device).

“We already have real security concerns and expect them to become much more severe in the coming weeks”, commented the CEO of IAITAM, Barbara Rembiesa. “The only safe course of action here is to bar Pokémon Go from corporate-owned phones and tablets, as well as employee-owned devices that are used to connect to sensitive corporate information.”

Among these worries is the risk of information leaks (the game’s servers have already been attacked. The app—at first—had access to too much information). There is also a worrisome number of infected versions available for download on official markets (malicious versions have been discovered on Google Play). And of course, companies worry about the irresponsible behaviors that this game could foster in employees.

For these reasons precisely, companies like Airbus have prohibited the use of Pokémon Go on its facilities. The game goes against a lot of security norms in the company, and among all other things, it requires the use of a camera. As noted in the internal communication, “from the safety point of view, in general it undermines protection, puts areas with restricted access at risk, in addition to being a danger to road safety and staff”.

In summary, company heads should consider whether or not the summer’s most popular app is compatible with their security and, if it is, create some restrictions to protect the integrity of the company’s data and systems.