Wondering why you’ve had more security breaches or data leaks than you can shake a stick at? Turns out that workers in the UK aren’t as bothered by keeping workplace data safe as they are for their own personal files.
A survey of 2,000 full-time UK workers carried out last year by Censuwide, on behalf of Citrix, found “an alarming disparity in employee attitudes toward work and personal data”.
Of those surveyed, 45% said they regularly use passwords to secure documents at home, but only 35% said they did so at work.
This contrast is even more stark when it comes to the destruction of physical documents. While almost 70% of respondents said they shred and dispose of unwanted personal documents, only 40% do the same at work.
The survey also asked about people’s attitudes towards device security. While almost 60% of over 55s said they would only use work devices with trusted company security software, only 47% of workers aged 25-34 could say the same.
This comparatively laidback attitude could present a significant security risk for businesses if an unsecured device with access to the company network or data were compromised, Citrix claimed.
Chris Mayers, chief security architect at the company, said: “This research demonstrates that despite many individuals being well aware of basic precautions for handling their own personal data, too many are not so conscientious at work.
“Employers have a responsibility to provide the tools and safeguards: employees need to use them. Protecting a company’s digital assets is a two-way street.”
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