New research from Vodafone UK claims to have exposed
potential IT security threats to business in the differing ways
that mobile computing users view their work mobiles and laptops
when out of the office.
The survey sampling more than 1000 mobile computing users
suggested that personal use of laptops and mobile devices goes
unregulated once out of the office.
Vodafone say that the findings provide clear evidence that that
business and
I
T managers need to balance management, security and use of company
property outside of working hours with employees’ increasing
expectation that personal use of company mobile devices is
acceptable in an always on, always contactable world.
Of the survey, nearly half had been issued with a work laptop
with internet access that is used regularly outside of work. The
same proportion of people regarded their work laptops or mobile
devices as their own property once away from the office.
This attitude was potentially exposing firms to security
threats. Half (With 49.6%) of employees used their own mobile
broadband connection and 29.6%
used Wi-Fi with their company mobile device when at home,
leaving the possibility of leaving businesses at risk of malware
attacks, other security threats, and legal liability.
The problem for firms is that just over two-thirds of all
employees considered using a work-supplied laptop outside working
hours was a ‘fair exchange’ in the work/life balance equation.
Nearly the same number of senior managers surveyed agreed that it
was
acceptable for employees to use work-supplied laptops for their own
purposes outside of work. The managers felt that, as recession
continued to bite and traditional forms of reward such as pay-rises
and bonuses were harder to deliver, small ‘perks’ become more
important in retaining key staff.
Commented Mike Banwell, Head of Business Services, Vodafone UK,
“Whilst it is right that businesses need to keep a close eye on
company assets such as netbooks, laptops and other mobile devices
to prevent inappropriate, illegal or irresponsible use, we don’t
want to get to a situation where attitudes change to such an extent
that policies and procedures become so restrictive that employees
actively circumvent them, or that the devices become so unfriendly
that the benefits employees and businesses are obtaining from
mobile working are severely reduced.”