Employees Put Personal Online Security and Interests Above Their Company's

Trend Micro's latest end-user survey discovered that employees were more focused on individual concerns and conveniences than their company's overall IT security.

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Trend Micro Incorporated

May 10, 2010, 12:30 ET

CUPERTINO, Calif., May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- From prowling social networking sites at work, to overriding their Company's installed security so they can access restricted Web sites, most employees were found to be generally imprudent and ambivalent when it comes to their company's overall security health, according to the 2010 Trend Micro survey on corporate and small business end users.

The survey, which included 1600 end users(1) in the U.S., U.K, Germany and Japan, noted that risky practices and attitudes were customary, regardless of country. Beginning with confidential corporate information, roughly 50 percent of those surveyed admitted to divulging employee-privy data through an unsecure Web mail account. End users in the U.S. and U.K. were more likely to admit to having leaked confidential company data than end users in Japan even though they were the most likely to indicate knowing what type of company data is confidential or not.

Mobile workers are more of a liability than their desktop counterparts. Across all countries, 60 percent of mobile workers versus 44 percent of stationary workers admitted to having sent out company confidential information via IM, Web mail or social media applications. In Japan, that number spikes to 78 percent of mobile employees.

In the US, laptop end users are far more likely to perform non-work related activities while on their company's network than desktop users: 74 percent of laptop users said they checked personal email (58 percent for desktop users); 58 percent said they browsed Web sites unrelated to work (45 percent for desktop users.)

When it comes to concerns and fears over the damage Web threats can cause, end users consistently ranked personal over corporate. Violation of personal privacy, identity theft or the loss of personal information were the top-stated concerns surrounding insidious threats such as phishing, spyware, Trojans, data-stealing malware and spam. Loss of corporate information and damage to corporate reputation were the least of end users' concerns. For example, 36 percent of U.S. end-users said loss of personal information was their top concern about viruses; only 29 percent expressed concern over the loss of corporate data due to viruses.

Even with corporate security and policies in place, companies can be sure that their employees will find a way to exert their online freedom: Roughly one out of ten users in each country admitted to overriding their corporate security in order to access restricted Web sites. Germany ranked the highest, with 12 percent of its end-users admitting to tinkering with corporate security; this is followed by the U.K., with 11 percent; U.S. and Japan both had 8 percent.

"These results might be disturbing to IT administrators and small business owners, but they're not all that surprising, especially to those of us who work within the security industry," said David Perry, global director of education, Trend Micro. "The key thing to remember is that there is still potential for redress through the right security technology designed specifically for your company's needs, as well as supportive, consistent employee education that drives awareness."

For more information regarding this survey, please visit: http://trendmicro.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=23&item=672

How to protect your business

Keep PCs and servers current with the latest software updates and patches.

Minimize your exposure to vulnerabilities by applying the latest security updates and patches to your software programs and operating systems. Enable automatic updates where possible.

Employ a multi-layered defense to secure PCs, servers and the network.

Block threats at the gateway before they reach the network with a comprehensive security solution that includes URL filtering and cloud-based protection, such as InterScan™ Web Security Suite. The suite offers a reporting management tool that gives enterprises instant, detailed access to their entire company's Web activities.
Protect endpoints—desktops, laptops, servers storage appliances—on and off the network—with a security solution such as OfficeScan™ Client/Server Suite.
Sign up for a free, 2-week, non-intrusive threat assessment(2) with Trend Micro™ Threat Management Services to see if malware is hidden, undetected within your networks. These security threat assessments found that 100 percent of companies had malware; 56 percent had data-stealing malware; and 72 percent had one or more IRC bots.
Small businesses with limited IT resources need anytime, anywhere Web-based protection for small businesses on the go. The Worry-Free™ Business Security family of products is designed to be automatic, easy and worry-free for small business owners.

Establish data protection policies and educate employees

Make sure employees are aware of spam and how they can help prevent it. Visit our Home and Home Office Awareness & Prevention section for tools and tips.
Ensure that employees never provide personal or confidential information in response to unsolicited email or IM requests.

The Trend Micro™ Smart Protection™ Network system delivers the infrastructure behind many of these products and sets them apart from conventional security solutions. It uses a number of patent-pending technologies and combines Internet-based (or "in-the-cloud") technologies with lighter-weight, client-based methods to ensure small businesses have immediate access to the latest and strongest protection wherever and however they connect – from home, within the company's network, or on the go.

About Trend Micro:

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in Internet content security, focuses on securing the exchange of digital information for businesses and consumers. A pioneer and industry vanguard, Trend Micro is advancing integrated threat management technology to protect operational continuity, personal information, and property from malware, spam, data leaks and the newest Web threats. Visit TrendWatch at www.trendmicro.com/go/trendwatch to learn more about the latest threats. Trend Micro's flexible solutions, available in multiple form factors, are supported 24/7 by threat intelligence experts around the globe. Many of these solutions are powered by the Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ infrastructure, a next-generation cloud-client innovation that combines sophisticated cloud-based reputation technology, feedback loops, and the expertise of TrendLabs(SM) researchers to deliver real-time protection from emerging threats. A transnational company, with headquarters in Tokyo, Trend Micro's trusted security solutions are sold through its business partners worldwide. Please visit www.trendmicro.com.

(1) Defined in the survey as full-time employed with email and Internet access at work, and spend over five hours per week on the computer at work.

(2) Certain countries do not offer the assessments for free.

SOURCE Trend Micro Incorporated