As the trend for using mobiles in the workplace continues to grow, a new study has found a huge volume of data is being lost by employees taking advantage of the technology.
The research from Kroll Ontrack claimed one in eight employees in the UK have lost data on their dedicated work mobile devices over the past year.
The majority of losses were “unintentional”, with the likes of technology malfunctions or corruption to blame, but with 10.3 million people using such devices in the UK, the research concluded that a staggering 3.1 million employees had lost business data.
The study showed that 62% of employees stored work data on external devices, with 21% storing critical data on technology as simple as USB sticks despite the security risks involved.
It also found that 42% of employees stored work data on personal devices that have not been provided by the company, meaning they may not adhere to any security or privacy policies their employers have.
Research reveals that a staggering 3.1 million employees have lost business data
“One of the biggest challenges for businesses today is to understand and manage the huge quantity of data they hold,” said Robert Winter, chief engineer at Kroll Ontrack.
“Unfortunately, due to an increasingly mobile workforce, the risk of losing confidential data is heightened exponentially, unless the correct preventative action is taken. As a result, businesses are not only jeopardised financially, but also run the risk of damaging their reputation,” he said.
A study from Context Information Security last week warned businesses against the dangers of using certain devices within the corporate environment.
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It claimed the Samsung Galaxy Tab has serious security failings, while Apple’s iPad had a weak spot in the ease with which it could be jailbroken.
However, the research claimed BlackBerry’s PlayBook tablet was the most advanced when it came to the corporate world and was the best suited for use within an enterprise.
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