Cisco release findings on 'data leakage'

Bangalore, Oct 29: Cisco on Wednesday, Oct 28 released a second set of findings from a global study on data leakage, revealing the prevalence and effectiveness of corporate security policies within companies and the reasons employees break or comply with them.

The study enables information technology teams in various parts of the world to understand employee risk factors so they can effectively tailor policies that fit the reality of what their users need to do their jobs, a Cisco release said. The latest security findings follow the first wave of research announced last month on common employee data leakage risks and mistakes around the world.

The findings on corporate security policies stem from surveys of more than 2,000 employees and IT professionals in ten countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, China, India, Australia and Brazil.

Conducted by InsightExpress, a US-based market research firm, the security study was commissioned by Cisco at a time when data loss was one of the most prominent concerns of businesses. As lines blur between work and home, and as employees use collaborative applications and mobile devices, the role that security policies play in protecting sensitive data becomes increasingly critical.

''This study reinforces the need to revisit corporate security policy and how that policy is communicated,'' said John N Stewart, chief security officer for Cisco.

UNI