Workforce weak spot in Cisco survey

Cisco's new global security study spotlights the numerous risks taken by employees that can lead to one of the most prominent security concerns for businesses: the loss of corporate information. The study identifies common data leakage mistakes among workforces around the world and is based on surveys of more than 2,000 employees and information technology professionals in 10 countries. The findings show that behavioral risks of employees can vary by country and culture, creating opportunities for businesses to tailor risk management plans that prevent incidents locally while remaining global in scope.

The study was commissioned by Cisco to examine security and data leakage  implications for businesses at a time when employee lifestyles and work environments are changing dramatically. As the reliance on centralized offices shifts to distributed business models and remote workforces, lines are blurring between work life and personal life. One of five employees altered security settings on work devices to bypass IT policy so they could access unauthorized Web sites. Seven of 10 IT professionals said employee access of unauthorized applications and Web sites (e.g. unsanctioned social media, music download software, online shopping venues) ultimately resulted in as many as half of their companies' data loss incidents.