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Security and the Consumerization of IT

By Bob Violino on 2011-06-23


The “consumerization” of IT remains a hot topic for technology executives, with the growing popularity of products such as the Apple iPad and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. So how secure are these consumer-focused technologies that are increasingly pushing their way into the work environment, and what impact are they having on corporate compliance efforts? Proofpoint Inc., a provider of cloud-based email security offerings, and research firm Osterman Research, conducted an online survey of 632 IT and security professionals from U.S. businesses and government agencies in May 2011 to find out. The results are featured in the "2011 Consumerized IT Security Survey," released on June 23. According to the report, this is an issue many organizations need to think about: more than 80 percent of those surveyed are letting their employees use consumerized IT products and services to conduct business communications. “Consumerized IT in the workplace is a fact of life, and organizations recognize that they must act to integrate it in a secure and compliant manner,” says Michael Osterman, principal of Osterman Research.

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84%


84% of respondents are allowing their employees to use consumerized IT such as iPads, iPhones, Facebook, Twitter and instant messaging to conduct business communications.

Beyond Trust


To ensure secure use of these technologies, 51% of respondents say they are implementing three-layer security and compliance strategies that include a combination of trust, policy and technology.

Renegade Users


16% of respondents say their organizations do not allow employees to use consumer technology in the workplace. Of this segment, 64% suspect that employees are using consumerized IT regardless of policies against it, and 56% say their company either has no consumer IT adoption strategy in place or they don’t know if their company has a plan.

Just A Warning


71% of respondents whose organizations do not allow consumerized IT in the workplace say their companies do nothing more than issue a warning to employees who violate policy.

Skeptics


72% of respondents whose organizations don’t allow consumerized IT in the workplace say that they are not convinced that it can be used in a secure and compliant manner.

67%


67% of respondents say email is the most-used business application within their consumer mobile-device networks.

Free Choice


Nearly half (48%) of organizations that allow consumerized IT in the workplace allow users to choose which technologies they use.

The i’s Have It


89% of respondents whose organizations permit consumerized IT in the workplace say Apple iPhone and iPad are the most-used mobile devices.

Facebook Leads


49% of respondents whose organizations allow use of consumerized IT in the workplace say Facebook is the most-used social media platform.

IM Is Rare


Only 0.6% of respondents whose organizations allow consumerized IT in the workplace allow the use of IM technologies such as Yahoo! Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and MSN Messenger.

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