Is Your Business at Risk of Data Issues?
Most companies have
important data stored on their computer
systems and networks, but could you be
risking your business through staff error or
lack of knowledge?
A survey of more than
100 UK office workers has revealed that
employees are hugely reliant on access to
network data to do their jobs, yet show an
alarming apathy about the value of that
data. The survey was carried out by secure
online backup specialist, Databarracks, and
the findings are a stark warning to UK
businesses:
-
Data dependent: Workers are so dependent on corporate data that 84%
felt they couldn’t do their job for more
than half a day if they lost access to
it, whilst 43% felt they could not cope
for any period without access
-
Recreational risk: More than half (57%) have at some point lost an office
work laptop/BlackBerry/USB stick,
with the most common loss location being
a pub, bar or restaurant
-
Personal priorities: More than three-quarters (77%) admitted storing
personal content such as photos on their
office network or PC, putting obvious
strain on company resources as well as
increasing the risk of malware
infection. Meanwhile, the same number
(77%) would prioritise their personal
mobile phone over their work PC if both
were on fire, clearly valuing personal
over corporate data
-
Loss liabilities: Companies are massively exposed to human error. Nearly
two-thirds (63%) of respondents have
accidentally deleted data on the
networks, whilst 69% admitted to saving
more than 10 important work files on
their PCs alone, causing major potential
disruption if they were stolen or
damaged
-
Neglecting nature: Many employees are neglecting their ‘carbon footprint’,
with 24% stating they never switch off
their PC at close of business and 23%
only sometimes. More than half (55%) of
respondents also feel their company
should plan better for environmental
incidents, such as the floods that took
place earlier this year
Peter Groucutt, MD of
Databarracks, commented: "This research
paints a frightening picture for UK
organisations. Almost every business,
irrelevant of sector, is reliant on the
information stored on its IT network to
manage day-to-day operations. This
dependence makes it critical for
organisations and their employees to protect
their network information, yet our survey
shows carelessness and even negligence among
many respondents, who have a haphazard view
of how corporate data should be handled.
“Whilst employees can
be educated to treat corporate data more
carefully, human error will always be a
factor, so this is not a problem that is
going to disappear overnight. In addition,
organisations have a myriad of different
applications to protect, and data retention
and archiving regulations to comply with.
More organisations have to start seriously
considering secure online backup to protect
themselves from unforeseen events.”
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