Mobile workers take too many security risks

A global study into mobile workers' attitudes to IT security suggests there is still much work to be done in raising awareness of security threats and best practices while working on the move.

The survey, carried out by market researcher InsightExpress, found almost three quarters (73 per cent) of mobile users claimed that they were not always mindful of security issues. Although many said they are aware "sometimes" of the risks and threats, 28 per cent admitted that they "hardly ever" consider security risks and proper behaviour.

More worryingly, some of the 700 mobile users surveyed for the study commissioned by Cisco and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) even admitted that they "never" consider safe best practices and didn't know they needed to be aware of security risks.

The majority (76 per cent) said they found it more difficult to identify suspicious emails and files on PDAs and smartphones than on laptops because the screens are much smaller. It also found the smaller screen size can actually encourage mobile workers to open attachments from unknown sources, because they felt otherwise unable to determine who it is from. And worryingly, the UK had a higher than average proportion of respondents who do this.

Almost half (44 per cent) of all mobile users surveyed said they open emails and/or attachments from unknown or suspicious sources. In the UK, China and India, more than half of mobile end users admitted to this behaviour.

Ron Teixeira, executive director of NCSA said: "While this study shows mobility provides businesses with new risks, so do other internet services and new technologies. Mobility and the internet can be used securely and safely if businesses institute a culture of security within their workforce by providing their employees with continuous cyber security awareness and education programmes."

Other examples of risky behaviour respondents admitted to while working on the go were accessing unauthorised, public wireless internet connections, which one-third of mobile users confessed to doing; and not protecting on their wireless devices, which 20 per cent said they never did.

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