Survey finds Shadow IT still a common problem for businesses
Almost a third (31%) of office workers in Ireland use their work device for personal use, according to a survey of 1,000 office workers by Censuswide on behalf of Auxilion and HPE. the survey identified several risky behaviours with the potential to put cyber security at risk, including clicking on suspicious links or e-mail at work, cited by 32% of respondents. A further one in five (22%) also admitted to using public Wi-Fi to access sensitive company documents.
More than a quarter (26%) admitted inputting sensitive company or customer data into an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool, while a third (33%) had used unauthorised tools to get their work done faster. Despite these behaviours, the majority of office workers (73%) were confident in their ability to spot a potential cyber threat.
Password protection was also highlighted as an area for concern, with almost a fifth (19%) of respondents admitting to sharing their work password with friends and family. Some 14% have used the same password for both work and personal accounts. While more than half of respondents (54%) felt confident in their password security, one in 10 did not.
Unsurpirsingly, 23% organisations had suffered a cyber security breach in the last 12 months. This was highest among the public sector at 28%. In addition, 23% of office workers admitted that they did not report a known security breach.
With the prevalence of high-risk behaviours among office workers, more than half (55%) of companies have run simulated phishing tests to raise awareness about cyber security.
Despite this, a quarter (25%) of respondents said their organisation did not have adequate security and data loss prevention measures in place. A third (32%) also revealed they did not receive regular cyber security training from their employer.
Martin Patterson, head of innovation, Auxilion (pictured), said: “While it’s unsurprising that many employees use work devices for personal tasks, our survey highlights a far greater concern – the ease with which everyday actions, such as opening a link in an e-mail or using AI tools, can expose organisations to security risks.
“Human behaviour remains one of the biggest vulnerabilities in cyber security. That’s why investing in ongoing training and building a culture of awareness are just as important as having the right technology in place. By equipping employees with the knowledge to spot and avoid potential threats, businesses can strengthen their first line of defence.”
TechCentral Reporters
Subscribers 0
Fans 0
Followers 0
Followers