Report: Data-leak prevention measures must cover personal emails

Contributed by Roumiana Deltcheva (Monday, December 27, 2010) | Category : Email security

The results of a recently published survey from network management solutions vendor Ipswitch suggests companies should take steps to cover personal email accounts under data-leak prevention measures.

According to the firm's survey, 40 percent of IT executives admitted they regularly send sensitive business data through personal email in order to avoid their company's audit trail. Another 25 percent said they have sent confidential information to their personal accounts with the intent of using the data for their next job.

Both forms of indiscretion can be avoided if companies cover personal email in data-leak prevention and govern its use with specific policies.

"Insiders will continue to be a major threat to businesses in 2011, and IT executives will need to implement bold, preventive measures - and monitor employees closely," said Frank Kenney, vice president of global strategy for Ipswitch.

Outbound content filtering is one security measure companies may want to consider. According to a recent report from an internet security firm, companies that implement email filters are less likely to suffer a breach caused by an insider.