 IM TALKING ABOUT THE BOSS BEHIND HIS BACK |
Orthus Limited (www.orthus.com) today released new results from the monitoring of over 100,000 hours of employee computer usage, captured through the delivery of their unique Data Leakage Survey Service. The findings indicate that instant messaging has clearly overtaken the office coffee machine as the new vehicle of choice for company gossip.
The research documented a dramatic rise in the usage of instant messaging applications such as Yahoo, MSN, and Skype as well as social networking sites such as Facebook, Bebo and Plaxo. The research also identified that the content of these communications was overwhelmingly personal in nature.
Specifically, the analysis identified that:
* 62% of IM connections were made between employees on the same company on the same network.
* 86% of content identified in IM applications was personal in nature.
Unsurprisingly, the findings also showed that virtually all of the information uploaded to social network sites by employees was personal and non-work related.
“The research plainly proves that the ritual of gossiping around the coffee machine has evolved” said Richard Hollis, Managing Director of Orthus.
“While email was once the primary unregulated medium over which employees were exchanging confidential information in the office without their bosses listening in, this is no longer the case. Users are well aware that monitoring of corporate email is now commonplace and are a step ahead of the controls,” said Hollis.
Researchers found IM traffic among co-workers ranging from gossip and complaints about work conditions to corporate management and share prices. The study also found that IM applications were routinely used in companies that specifically prohibited them.
“The data also illustrates the problem of ineffective policies. Companies continue to produce policies stating ‘thou shalt not’ but are unable or unwilling to enforce them.
"Users quickly learn which policies are enforced and which are not and find the right technology to bypass controls that are in place,” said Hollis.
“Also, very few policies actually consider basic human behaviour – such as our need to communicate or tell a story - particularly those addressing the use of IM and social network sites”.
The research was compiled through the use of software agents on endpoints, servers and terminal servers. The software visually recorded evidence of unauthorised activity and its content. The research entitled “100,000 Hours: A Data Leakage Survey is available from Orthus.
About Orthus Limited
Orthus is a leading provider of innovative and independent information security services and solutions. Since its foundation in 2001 Orthus has grown to become one of the leading UK-based providers of security services assisting enterprises in protecting their digital information assets globally.
For more information, or for a copy of the full survey results, please contact:
Tel: +44 (0)203 170 8955
Email: info@orthus.com
Web: www.orthus.com
Orthus, 31 Southampton Row, London WC1B 5HJ
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