The latest generation of desk-jockey’s admitted in a recent CISCO study that they frequently ignore and/or circumvent the information technology (IT) policies of their employers, heightening corporate risk.
The CISCO Connected World Technology Report surveyed some 2,800 college students and young professionals in 14 of the world’s fastest growing economies. The report found that two thirds of young employees worldwide admitted to breaking a number of IT policies with regularity, with many saying they didn’t believe they were doing anything wrong.
The report found that breaking IT rules was often necessary to do their work. A fifth of participants claimed that they need access to restricted programs and applications in order to get their job done. Firms that did a poor or inconsisent job enforcing IT rules also were a common complaint. Slightly less than a fifth of respondents surveyed said that policies aren’t being enforced. Still other younger workers seemed comfortable sidestepping IT rules just because they could. Respondents said that they didn’t even think about the policies at work, that adhering to the rules was inconvenient, that they forget to follow policies, or that their bosses aren’t watching.
Unfortunately for employers, younger workers’ cavalier attitude towards following the rules isn’t offset by a deep sense of personal responsibility. Three of every five employees said they aren’t responsible for protecting information and devices, and respondents seemed unconcerned about the security implications of letting others use their devices without supervision, or even leaving their devices unattended, the survey found.
Numerous studies have found that individual behavior plays an important role in ensuring enterprise security, and that social engineering attacks are a common element in many sophisticated hacks.
“The next-generation workforce is looking for more open access to information and social media,” said CISCO’s chief security officer, John N. Stewart. “The findings outlined in the Cisco Connected World Technology Report provide valuable insights into how we must adapt IT and security policies to enable mobility and productivity while still managing risk. Done well, security enables mobility and social media access to provide the necessary productivity boost.”
