Pointsec Mobile Technologies, the global leader and the provider of the de facto standard for enterprise security software for laptop and desktop PCs, PDAs and smartphones, today published results from a survey on the use of removable storage media among IT professionals.
The survey is conducted for the second year in a row and shows that the number of IT professionals who use USB memory sticks, digital media players and USB external disks, has doubled compared with last year’s results. That is in spite of the fact that many of the surveyed IT professionals know that storing corporate information on a removable media poses a security risk.
The survey this year was conducted amongst 248 IT professionals at an international conference held in the United Kingdom (many of whom are IT security managers, also including delegates from the Middle East). 66 percent of those who use removable media have no security policy in place. 65 percent are aware of the security risk associated with that kind of media that could easily get lost or fall into the wrong hands.
“Highlighting EMEA trends is critical in arming regional IT managers with the information they need to stay ahead of the curve and protect their company data which could easily be walking out of their doors,” commented Ayman Majzoub, general manager, Pointsec Middle East & Africa. “56 percent of the surveyed are using their mobile storage devices to store corporate information such as contracts, proposals and other business documents. This is a trend that is definitely becoming more prevalent in the Middle East, and we are proactively working with regional IT managers to ensure they are setting guidelines and procedures in place to protect their data.”
A further 22 percent or those surveyed use removable media devices to store their customer’s name and addresses. Three percent store passwords and bank account numbers, and most of them, 70 percent, use removable media to store downloaded music files.
Only 21 percent have some security in place on their media, such as password protection or encryption. 12 percent are banning the use of removable media in the company.
“The use of mobile devices and removable media such as USB memory drives has increased enormously, not only in the home but also at work. These devices are small in size, cheap, and very easy to use and lose. They are ticking security bombs if they’re not secured properly,” Majzoub added. “But instead of banning such devices at the company there are other solutions that will keep IT security managers confident, while allowing employees to enjoy the convenience of using such devices.”
To secure your company from the security implications associated with removable media and mobile devices Pointsec recommend that you:
1. Deploy user mobile guidelines or ensure that your corporate IT security policy includes corporate directives that state the importance of proper handling of mobile devices such as removable media.
2. Use encryption software such as Pointsec Media Encryption which enables centrally managed, policy-based mandatory enforcement of strong encryption of all data stored at mobile devices and removable media.
3. Have methods in place which enables encrypted data to be decrypted in a controlled way outside the corporate network.
4. The encryption process should be transparent and quick to the user, so that it does not interfere with their work or put any extra requirements on the user.
For further information please contact:
Aimee Peters, The Portsmouth Group, info@theportsmouthgroup.com or +971 4 369 3575
About Pointsec
Pointsec is the worldwide de facto standard for mobile device security – with the most customers deployed, highest level of certification and more complete device coverage than any other company. Pointsec delivers a trusted solution for automatic data encryption that guarantees proven protection at the most vulnerable point where sensitive enterprise data is stored – on mobile devices. By securing sensitive information stored on laptops, PDAs, smartphones, and removable media, enterprises and government organizations can protect and enhance their image, minimize risk, shield confidential data, guard informa¬tion assets, and strengthen public and shareholder confidence. Pointsec’s customers include blue chip companies and government organizations around the world. Founded in 1988, Pointsec Mobile Technologies AB is a wholly owned subsidi¬ary of Protect Data AB, publicly traded (PROT) on the Stockholm stock exchange. The company has two U.S. offices, nine EMEA offices, two APAC offices, two offices in India and one office in Dubai, Middle East. Pointsec can be found on the web at: www.pointsec.com.
