Employees’ behaviours puts sensitive info at risk

Media Alert: RSA survey shows employees’ everyday behaviours puts sensitive business information at risk

Auckland, NEW ZEALAND, 14 October 2008 – RSA, The Security Division of EMC, today released the findings of its latest insider threats survey. The survey polled 417 people – a heavy concentration of whom are employed in the finance and technology sectors – who confessed to their work-related security behaviours and attitudes. The results indicate that even those who should know better are not exempt from the everyday behaviours that can trigger significant risk to sensitive business information.

Key trends from the research include:

People do as they will, regardless of awareness of best security practices

Employees are well aware of the restrictions placed upon them by their corporate IT departments, yet many often work around these controls in order to get their jobs done in a convenient and timely manner.

Remote access to sensitive information is random and unprotected

In a mobile world, the survey affirms that employees depend on remote access to corporate information when outside the office. However remote access to sensitive data requires strong authentication than maintains the flexibility and convenience of remote access to VPNs and webmail.

Information can be a moving target and portable data is regularly mishandled

In order for employees to be most productive, information has to be free to move. However, employee mobility increases the collective responsibility of protecting information that is carried outside of the organisation.

Making sure the right users have access to the right information

Organisations are dynamic and individuals’ roles often change within the organisation. However, the governance of the corporate network does not always stay in lockstep with these moves.

To read the full announcement, receive the accompanying RSA whitepaper: 2008 Insider Threat Survey or speak to Mark Pullen, Country Manager, RSA Australia & New Zealand about the research please contact Kya de Rome on kya@kinetics.com.au or +61 2 9212 3848.

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About RSA

RSA, The Security Division of EMC, is the premier provider of security solutions for business acceleration, helping the world's leading organizations succeed by solving their most complex and sensitive security challenges. RSA's information-centric approach to security guards the integrity and confidentiality of information throughout its lifecycle – no matter where it moves, who accesses it or how it is used.

RSA offers industry-leading solutions in identity assurance & access control, data loss prevention, encryption & key management, compliance & security information management and fraud protection. These solutions bring trust to millions of user identities, the transactions that they perform, and the data that is generated. For more information, please visit www.RSA.com and www.EMC.com.

ENDS

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