Despite widespread apprehensions that usage of social networks is putting efficiencies of employees at risk, most businesses continue to allow their employees access to them.
In this context, a new research report assumes significance. The leading security research firm, Sophos, has just released its Security Threat Report. It notes that over the last year malware and spam attacks via popular social networks have continued to increase at rather ‘alarming’ rates. This poses a greater a risk to both individual users and the firms they work for.
Almost three-quarters of business entities stated that they were indeed concerned about their employee exposure behavior on any social network. It is not their HR-related behavior that they are particularly concerned about. In fact, most respondents felt that reports of phishing, malware and spam from social networks made them concerned about employees putting business security at risk.
There was nearly a 70 percent rise in the proportion of companies reporting such attacks in 2009, according to Sophos. Their concern regarding malware and spam is certainly valid. Users who are not careful enough when using social networking websites such as MySpace and Facebook, downloading even unknown files and clicking unfamiliar links can be a security risk for companies. Malware writers can easily target these users via social networks, making them , prone to malware attacks.
Owing to this increased level of concern over cybersecurity, the businesses would block access to Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, one would assume. Not so! Ironically, almost half of all respondent firms told Sophos that they let their staff an unfettered access to these sites – nearly a 13 percent rise from a year ago. Though the firms clarified that they were taking steps to educate their employees and put in place social security procedures instead of just barring staff members from using these sites.

Despite widespread apprehensions that usage of social networks is putting efficiencies of employees at risk, most businesses continue to allow their employees access to them.sophos-logo

In this context, a new research report assumes significance. The leading security research firm, Sophos, has just released its Security Threat Report. It notes that over the last year malware and spam attacks via popular social networks have continued to increase at rather ‘alarming’ rates. This poses a greater a risk to both individual users and the firms they work for.

Almost three-quarters of business entities stated that they were indeed concerned about their employee exposure behavior on any social network. It is not their HR-related behavior that they are particularly concerned about. In fact, most respondents felt that reports of phishing, malware and spam from social networks made them concerned about employees putting business security at risk.

There was nearly a 70 percent rise in the proportion of companies reporting such attacks in 2009, according to Sophos. Their concern regarding malware and spam is certainly valid. Users who are not careful enough when using social networking websites such as MySpace and Facebook, downloading even unknown files and clicking unfamiliar links can be a security risk for companies. Malware writers can easily target these users via social networks, making them , prone to malware attacks.

Owing to this increased level of concern over cybersecurity, the businesses would block access to Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, one would assume. Not so! Ironically, almost half of all respondent firms told Sophos that they let their staff an unfettered access to these sites – nearly a 13 percent rise from a year ago. Though the firms clarified that they were taking steps to educate their employees and put in place social security procedures instead of just barring staff members from using these sites.