Confidential data theft continues in the workplace
(10/04/2008)
Figures out today indicate that 42 per cent of adults in the UK have taken data out of the workplace to work on at home according to consumer survey experts TNS in a survey commissioned by LogLogic. Of these, almost half (45 per cent) stated that the data was classed as being company confidential while an additional five per cent were unsure on the sensitivity of the information.
Less than half of the respondents (43 per cent) said that their bosses always knew when information was being removed and taken home. While only 14 per cent of those questioned said that they accessed data which was not directly related to their job, 40 per cent said that they would change their behaviour if they knew that their IT movements were being monitored.
Commenting on the findings, Henning Ogberg, vice president, LogLogic EMEA, says:
“Recent high profile cases have re-iterated the risk posed to organisations of data going missing – either intentionally or non–intentionally. Electronic methods of data transfer such as email, memory sticks or CDs means that data can be copied and potentially removed within seconds. While this will always be a risk that businesses face in today’s digital age, putting in place a user activity monitoring system, such as log monitoring, will go a long way towards creating accountability and changing the behaviour of workers.”
He continued: “Businesses should view log monitoring as the surveillance camera for their data and identity management as the locks on the door. It is critical that they protect and stand guard against threats and theft, just like they would their own homes.”
E-mail and Memory Sticks were found to be the most popular method of removing data from the workplace with 29 and 27 per cent, respectively, of respondents removing data in this way. Rounding out the methods were hard copy print outs (22%), transfer by CD (14%), and by transfer from a work laptop to a home computer (9%).
Even after finishing working with the information, one fifth (20 per cent) of those questioned advised that they still had data at home, six per cent threw it away without destroying it, while 2 per cent didn’t know what happened to it.
Related topics: Application and software security Computer and PC Security Data management and data security Network Security Security threats and vulnerabilities
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