{"id":21693,"date":"2012-06-20T18:16:50","date_gmt":"2012-06-20T08:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/power-up.space\/?p=21693"},"modified":"2012-06-20T18:16:50","modified_gmt":"2012-06-20T08:16:50","slug":"symantec-survey-reveals-online-file-sharing-poses-great-security-risks-to-smbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/?p=21693","title":{"rendered":"Symantec Survey Reveals Online File Sharing Poses Great Security Risks to SMBs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"center\"><em>As Online File Sharing Solutions Gain Popularity in Business,<br \/>\nSMBs Risk Security Breaches and Data Loss<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>SYDNEY, Australia. \u2013 June 20, 2012 \u2013<\/strong> Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced that as online file sharing becomes increasingly common as a business practice, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are more at risk than ever before, according to the findings of its 2011 SMB File Sharing Survey. The survey revealed that SMB employees are increasingly adopting unmanaged, personal-use online file sharing solutions without permission from IT, part of the broader trend of the consumerisation of IT in which the adoption of online services for use on personal mobile devices blurs the lines between work and play. These early-adopter behaviors \u2013 like those driving the use of file sharing technology \u2013 are making organisations vulnerable to security threats and potential data loss.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA staggering 71 percent of small businesses that suffer from a cyber attack never recover \u2013 it\u2019s fatal,\u201d said Rowan Trollope, group president, SMB and .cloud, Symantec. \u201cAs the fastest adopters of cloud technologies, such as file sharing, SMBs need to use safe practices, especially when using a solution that might not be built for businesses. As employees increasingly adopt consumer cloud services at work, the risk to SMBs only grows.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Survey Highlights<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Employees \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 influence adoption of file sharing solutions internally: SMB stakeholders \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 recognise that file sharing helps drive productivity among employees. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Seventy-four percent of respondents said they adopted online file sharing \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to bolster their own productivity. Also, 61 percent of respondents \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 reported employees to be somewhat-to-extremely influential when it comes \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to adopting file sharing solutions internally, on par with mobile device \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 usage (63 percent), PC\/laptop\/tablet usage (64 percent) and social media \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 usage (53 percent).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Security \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and data loss are potential file sharing risks:\u00a0 Many respondents \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 recognised the potential risks that poorly managed file sharing practices \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 can bring into their organisations. Among respondents, risks cited as \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 potential concerns included sharing confidential information using \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 unapproved solutions (44 percent), malware (44 percent), loss of \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 confidential or proprietary information (43 percent), breach of \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 confidential information (41 percent), embarrassment or damage to \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 brand\/reputation (37 percent), and violating regulatory rules (34 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 percent). Moreover, the lack of policy enforcement also enhances risks for \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 many respondents as more than one-fifth (22 percent) of respondents have \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 not implemented policies restricting how employees can access and share \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 files.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>File \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 sharing behaviors could expose SMBs to risk: Employee behaviors around \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 file sharing indicate further potential for security risk. When asked what \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 employees might do when they need to share a large file, respondents \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 indicated they would either ask IT for help (51 percent), use a solution \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 suggested by a customer, contractor or partner (42 percent), utilise the \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 IT system in place (33 percent), or search online and download a free \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 solution (27 percent). Furthermore, 41 percent indicated damaged brand \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 reputation was a concern when it comes to file sharing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Files \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 are getting bigger: Many of the files shared internally and externally are \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 significantly increasing in size. One in seven (14 percent) respondents \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 reported the average size of files currently shared by their organisation \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to be more than 1 GB while three years ago, only 6 percent reported the \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 average file size to be more than 1 GB.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>SMBs \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 are more distributed: Respondents indicated the number of employees \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 working remotely and\/or from home has gradually increased over the past \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 three years, and the number is projected to increase. Respondents \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 predicted that one year from now 37 percent of SMB organisations will have \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 employees working remotely (up 22 percent from three years ago and 32 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 percent today), and 32 percent will have employees who work from home (up \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 20 percent from three years ago, and 28 percent today).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Recommendations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Symantec recommends that SMBs implement some simple best practices to help ensure employees share files securely:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Centralise \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 file storage and management with a secure web-based system that is \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 accessible regardless of device or location so that companies protect data \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 outside the office walls.<\/li>\n<li>Implement \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 access controls and permissions to keep private files safe and separate \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 from work content.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 oversight into how and when business files are shared.<\/li>\n<li>Implement \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 a scalable system that can grow with the business.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Symantec\u2019s 2011 SMB File Sharing Survey<\/strong><br \/>\nApplied Research fielded this survey in November 2011. They spoke with decision-makers at 1,325 worldwide SMB organisations with 5 to 500 employees.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/auc.tractionplatform.com\/id=4880,18218233,23197715,272441,1?erl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideshare.net%2Fsymantec\" target=\"_blank\">Symantec \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 SlideShare<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/auc.tractionplatform.com\/id=4880,18218233,23197715,298736,1?erl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.symantec.com%2Fconnect%2Fblogs%2Fsurvey-reveals-file-sharing-creating-risks-smbs%3Fom_ext_cid%3Dbiz_socmed_twitter_facebook_marketwire_linkedin_2012Jun_worldwide_FileSharingPol\" target=\"_blank\">Symantec \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Confident SMB Blog<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Connect with Symantec<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/auc.tractionplatform.com\/id=4880,18218233,23197715,298313,1?erl=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fsymantec\" target=\"_blank\">Follow \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Symantec on Twitter<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/auc.tractionplatform.com\/id=4880,18218233,23197715,272440,1?erl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSymantec\" target=\"_blank\">Join \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Symantec on Facebook<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/auc.tractionplatform.com\/id=4880,18218233,23197715,298737,1?erl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.symantec.com%2Fxml%2Frss%2Fpr.jsp%3Fom_ext_cid%3Dbiz_socmed_twitter_facebook_marketwire_linkedin_2011Nov_worldwide_SMBflashpoll\" target=\"_blank\">Subscribe \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to Symantec News RSS Feed<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/auc.tractionplatform.com\/id=4880,18218233,23197715,272441,1?erl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideshare.net%2Fsymantec\" target=\"_blank\">View \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Symantec\u2019s SlideShare Channel<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/auc.tractionplatform.com\/id=4880,18218233,23197715,298738,1?erl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.symantec.com%2Fconnect%2F%3Fom_ext_cid%3Dbiz_socmed_twitter_facebook_marketwire_linkedin_2011Nov_worldwide_SMBflashpoll\" target=\"_blank\">Visit \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Symantec Connect Business Community<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>About Symantec <\/strong><br \/>\nSymantec is a global leader in providing security, storage and systems management solutions to help consumers and organisations secure and manage their information-driven world.\u00a0 Our software and services protect against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently, enabling confidence wherever information is used or stored. More information is available at <a href=\"http:\/\/auc.tractionplatform.com\/id=4880,18218233,23197715,298308,1?erl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.symantec.com%2Fen%2Fau%2F\" target=\"_blank\">www.symantec.com<\/a> or by connecting with Symantec at: <a href=\"http:\/\/auc.tractionplatform.com\/id=4880,18218233,23197715,272444,1?erl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.symantec.com%2Fsocial-media\" target=\"_blank\">go.symantec.com\/socialmedia<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As Online File Sharing Solutions Gain Popularity in Business, SMBs Risk Security Breaches and Data Loss SYDNEY, Australia. \u2013 June 20, 2012 \u2013 Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced that as online file sharing becomes increasingly common as a business practice, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are more at risk than ever before, according to<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/?p=21693\">Read More\u2026<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-game-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21693"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21693\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21695,"href":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21693\/revisions\/21695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}