Report: Email, social networking sites and mobile devices among leaders in corporate data loss

Contributed by Roumiana Deltcheva (Lundi, 30 août 2010) | Category : Email security

A recent report from an email security company found that email, as well as social networking sites and mobile devices, are leading to much of the data lost by corporations.

The company surveyed 261 email and messaging decision makers for its research and found that 35 percent of responding corporations have conducted investigations into data leaked via email during the last 12 months. Furthermore, 32 percent have gone through a similar investigation for a suspected violation of data production regulations. Twenty percent of companies have fired an employee during the last 12 months for such a violation, while 50 percent have disciplined one.

While companies have had to improve their data-leak prevention solutions and policies for email correspondence, social media's role has increased with such corporate data loss.

Of those businesses responding to the survey, 20 percent investigated the exposure of confidential or private information which had been posted to a social networking site. Seven percent fired an employee for this violation, while 20 percent disciplined their employees for these violations. In response to the rising threat of leaks through social networking sites, 53 percent of respondents currently prohibit their employees from accessing Facebook on corporate systems, while 31 percent forbid LinkedIn access.

"The level of concern and anxiety about corporate data loss is on the rise, and the recession has only increased the pressure on companies to enforce corporate email and social media policies. It's no longer just an IT department concern. We're seeing C-level executives and management paying attention as data loss becomes a very real, public threat to companies." Gary Steele, CEO of the security company.

In addition to the failures in protect against emails and social networking sites, mobile devices have also posed a threat to organization's sensitive data. In the last 12 months, 22 percent of responding companies investigated the loss of information stored on or sent from a mobile device. Currently, 56 percent of companies view mobile data as a risk to their data-leak prevention methods.

While the loss of data can be embarrassing for companies involved, their finances are hit hard as well. Regulatory authorities have handed out several substantial fines in 2010 for such data loss. Five hospitals in California received a collective fine of $675,000 earlier this year for allowing unauthorized access to patient data. In addition, Health Net was assessed a $250,000 penalty after losing the information of 500,000 Connecticut natives and delaying to report the loss.