Let’s Not Import This Disturbing Trend
Study Finds Londoners Work in Bed on Unsecured Laptops
July 9, 2009
Illustration Courtesy of Credant Technologies
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A study of 300 workers in London in April revealed that 25 percent of them are so work-obsessed they can’t resist using their laptops in bed.
The survey, releases by Credant Technologies, the endpoint data protection specialists, discovered that of those people who do work in bed, 57% do so for between two and six hours every week; little wonder that the survey also found that the majority of their bed companions found their partners’ obsession with their mobiles “a very annoying habit.”
A staggering 8% of people admitted that they spend more time on their mobile devices during the evening than talking to their partners!
The survey into “Laptop use in bed and the security implications” was conducted among 300 city workers who were interviewed to determine whether the UK has become a nation of work-obsessed, laptop-dependent, key tappers and to highlight the security implications of unsecured mobile devices. Almost half the respondents (44%) admitted they are holding important work documents on their mobile devices of which 54% were not adequately secured with encryption. This will sound alarm bells for the many in-house IT departments who are tasked with trying to secure an ever-increasing mobile workforce using data on the move and consequently losing more unsecured data than ever before.
A fifth of people are not using a secure wireless network as they busily tap away under their duvets.
Michael Callahan, vice president at Credant Technologies, explains “This survey confirms that there is a growing population that is no longer restricted by working hours or confined to the office building itself. People are mobile and will work anywhere — even in bed. Therefore, when sensitive and valuable data is being held on these devices and they get lost, it can have pretty detrimental and far-reaching consequences to both the worker and their employer.”
The favored way to connect to the Internet, and subsequently back to the office, whilst lying in bed is via a wireless network (87%). Disturbingly, almost a fifth of people spoken to are using a wireless network that they know is insecure, with 56% down/uploading company information.
When staying in hotels, people are happy to connect to the hotel’s wireless network, expecting the hotel to ensure it’s secure. Some 47% admit that they do so without even considering the security implications.
When asked “What is the last thing you do before going to sleep” it is reassuring to learn that, for 96% of the people questioned, it is kiss their partners goodnight. For the other 4%, (71% of which are male), who confess to completing work and checking their e-mails, it would be advisable for them to take a long hard look at their gadget-obsessed lives.
Five Tips When Engaging In Electronic Pillow Talk
Credant recommends the following simple hints and tips to ensure data remains secure, especially when working in your pajamas:
Tip One: If your laptop or mobile device contains important/sensitive data relating to your employer, especially clients’ information, ask your IT department to encrypt the mobile device.
Tip Two: Always use a strong password — combining numbers, letters and symbols — to access your device or network. Don’t make exposure easy.
Tip Three: Be aware of all the points of connection and access so you don’t risk disclosure.
Tip Four: Don’t leave your mobile device open to access (e.g. leaving Bluetooth or WiFi turned on) somewhere visible and unsecured.
Tip Five: Finally, use your bedroom for what it’s designed for. And, if you’re not feeling sleepy, your laptop is the last thing you should be turning to!
