Insecure Web Surfing Lead to Security Breach

Taking into consideration the dangerous exploits of Internet browsing by uneducated and unaware employees, GFI conducted a survey among the small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

A survey conducted by GFI Software among the top heads of 200 IT decision-makers of SMBs revealed that 40% of their businesses experienced a security breach due to employees' indulgence in social networking sites. According to 55% of users, employing web monitoring defense against online malware protection website does not hold a prime importance, as reported by scmagazineuk.com on October 12, 2011.

Information on percentage of SMBs deploying a security solution reveals that nearly a quarter (24%) utilize it primarily for ensuring employee productivity, whereas 13.5% use it for preserving network bandwidth and speed.

However, the survey also revealed that 11.5% respondents specified of not using Web monitoring or filtering software at all. The survey result also demonstrates clearly a disconnection among the security realities, particularly for 2011, which is considered to be a hacker-prone environment.

Nonetheless, according to 70% of respondents, who does not use web monitoring or filtering software, does not consider unsafe web browsing to be a setback in their organization.

Apart from malware threat and viruses from social networks, unmonitored Internet activity also sometimes lead to unforeseen circumstances. About 27.5% SMBs do not have any policy in the first place to admonish the use of social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Whereas, though 16% SMBs posses a social networking usage policy, but they probably do not have any specific system for monitoring the adherence of norms by their employees'

According to the General Manager of the GFI Software Infrastructure Unit, Phil Bousfield, the protection of the network from malicious websites and downloads should always hold top priority for IT managers apart from concerns over employee productivity and bandwidth management, as published by softpedia on October 13, 2011.

However, Bousfield did not deny the usefulness of web monitoring solutions. He asserted that these IT equipments facilitate IT administrators to take necessary safer decisions while being online and enjoy the benefit of Internet devoid of risks.

Protecting the network from malicious websites and downloads should be a top priority for IT managers in addition to concerns over employee productivity and bandwidth management," Bousfield added.

Bousfield also added that though concerns over employees' productivity seem to hold the topmost priority for IT professions, one should also not forget the urgency of protecting their computers from being compromised.

Related article: Insignificant Spam Rates in August 2011: Symantec

» SPAMfighter News - 10/22/2011