The new communication tools – practical… but risky
Efficient and always accessible, mobile communication tools have taken a growing place in the workplace. Progress that is not without risk for confidential company data.
Although 77% of 4,000 companies surveyed by the Ponemon Institute for the Global Study on Mobility Risks consistently emphasized the importance of mobile devices in reaching their goals, 76% said at the same time that such massive use of these new tools brings a real element of risk.
At the top of these concerns are data loss. Although IT departments have devoted much effort in recent years to improving data security, particularly with the growing importance of the Internet and email exchanges, the appearance of mobile devices has considerably changed the equation. Over the last 12 months, 51% have experienced data loss, to their cost, directly resulting from non-secure use of mobile devices such as laptop computers, smartphones, tablets or even USB keys.
Another negative consequence over the same period is that 59% of companies have noted a substantial increase in infections by viruses and malware. Another trend feared by over 65% of managers is that photos and videos taken by employees using this technological tools in the workplace could potentially disclose information that must remain strictly confidential.
Little protection in place
Concerned about this, companies nonetheless seem slow to take radical steps to increase security in data transfer and access. According to the same study, only 39% have attempted to put controls in place to protect their information while using mobile communication devices. The urgency is still pressing – 59% of companies have found that their employees easily circumvent existing security arrangements, including removing requests for passwords, both for accessing software and company data on their desktop computers and their personal devices. No doubt this increases flexibility and speed of use but it is also immediately more risky for the company.