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Websense Launches Web@Work Survey in Asia Pacific and Latin America
Websense, Inc., provider of employee internet management solutions, announced the results of its 2005 Asia Pacific/Latin America Web@Work survey, conducted by Dynamic Markets Limited. The Web@Work study surveyed eight regions regarding internet use in the workplace including Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, and Mexico.
According to the 2005 Asia Pacific/Latin America Web@Work survey, companies may not have the level of protection necessary to ward off emerging internet threats. For example, the vast majority of IT managers (92%) believed that their organization was protected in terms of its exposure to web security threats such as spyware and phishing attacks. However, despite this confidence, 72% of IT managers admitted that their companies' workstations have been infected by spyware at some time.
Similarly, 69% of IT managers reported that their employees have or may have received phishing attacks via email or instant messaging on their office PC or laptop. In fact, almost one in four employees (23%) stated that they have given out financial, personal, or confidential data, such as corporate network passwords or social security numbers, as a result of a phishing attack.
"Clearly, awareness of high-risk internet threats such as spyware, web-based viruses and phishing scams is relatively low throughout Asia Pacific and Latin America for both employees and IT managers," said Curt Staker, president of Websense, Inc. "Websense mitigates companies' exposure to today's IT security loopholes with its multilayered solution at the internet gateway, network, and desktop."
In addition to internet security issues, the survey also revealed that nearly one in four (24%) employees surveyed admitted they spend more than four hours a week on personal surfing from a corporate-owned PC or laptop. However, IT managers surveyed believed that personal surfing by employees consumed an average of 6 hours a week. Interestingly, while employees rated news, online banking, and personal email websites as the most popular non work-related websites visited at work, 12% stated that they have visited a pornographic website while on a work PC or laptop either by accident or on purpose.
"The level of personal surfing and the types of websites which are deemed appropriate varies significantly across each region. For example, more employees in Australia stated they frequent travel websites at work than any other region surveyed," said Staker. "As both work-related and personal usage of the internet at work increases, many organizations aim for a work/life balance in which it's completely acceptable for employees to visit sites such as travel and shopping during the work day. Websense software provides flexible filtering management options which can be easily customized to implement an internet access policy that best fits the corporate culture of each organization."
2005 Asia Pacific/Latin America Web@Work Survey Results:
SPYWARE: 20% of employees admitted that they have visited websites while at work which contain spyware. However, another 19% stated they were "not sure," if they had ever visited a spyware-infected site. The magnitude of this problem is highlighted by the fact that 72% of IT managers reported that their company's workstations have been infected by spyware at some time. Spyware seems to be most widespread in Chile, Mexico, Columbia, Brazil, Hong Kong and Australia, compared to India and China where the level of infected workstations is lower.
PHISHING ATTACKS: 61% of employees polled reported that they have not heard of phishing. Employees in Brazil and Australia seem to be the most aware of phishing overall. Almost one in four (23%) employees surveyed said that they have given out financial, personal, or confidential data, such as corporate network passwords or social security numbers, as a result of a phishing attack: an incident that has occurred more in China, Mexico, India and Australia, than it has in Brazil and Hong Kong.
PROTECTION AGAINST SPYWARE AND PHISHING: 92% of IT managers reported that they believed their company is protected in terms of its exposure to internet security threats such as spyware and phishing attacks. However, 72% of IT managers admitted that their organizations' workstations have been attacked by spyware. In addition, 69% of IT managers stated that their employees have or may have received phishing scams via email or instant messaging (IM) on their office PC or work-owned laptop.
EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTIVIRUS: 94% of IT managers stated that they are confident their company's current antivirus software is able to stop viruses from attacking their corporate network. Nonetheless, 54% of IT managers admitted that their company's computer system was infected by a web-based virus such as the Bagel worm or JS Scob. Such virus infections were the most common in Brazil and Chile.
EMPLOYEES' USE OF WORK-OWNED LAPTOPS: 71% of IT managers polled believed that corporate laptops used outside the office and then reconnected to the company firewall pose a security risk. In fact, 10% of IT managers reported they suspect that their employees have installed malicious applications such as hacking tools and keyloggers onto work laptops. In addition, IT managers in Australia, China and Hong Kong suspected that employees in their organizations use their work laptops for a wider variety of non work-related activities, compared to IT managers in Brazil.
JOB RISK DUE TO INTERNET SECURITY BREACHES: 88% of IT managers surveyed disclosed that if an IT security breach were to occur at their company, it could put their employment at risk. For example, 46% stated that system downtime caused by viruses could threaten job security, and 32% reported that lost or stolen intellectual property as a result of a security breach could put their jobs on the line. In addition, 21% of IT managers thought their jobs could be at risk if employees downloaded pirated or copyrighted materials which brought about legal action. Job security is most at risk from internet security breaches in China above all other regions.
STRESS OF SECURITY: overall 60% of IT managers stated that they find the task of protecting their organization against malicious internet threats such as spyware and phishing attacks more stressful than things like starting a new job, moving their home, getting married or divorced, having a baby or getting in a minor car accident. Stress levels seem to be the highest in Hong Kong and Brazil, compared to China, Australia and Columbia where it is lower.
TIME SPENT: employees confessed that they spend an average of 4.2 hours per week accessing non work-related websites during the work day using their office PC or corporate-owned laptop. However, IT managers believe this number to be closer to 6.1 hours per week. In general, employees admitted to spending more time on personal surfing in China, India, and Columbia, in comparison to Hong Kong and Brazil.
PERSONAL SURFING: 83% of employees surveyed confessed they spend at least some of their work week accessing non work-related websites. Employees in Australia and Hong Kong said they accessed a wider variety of personal websites from the office, compared to their counterparts in Brazil, Mexico, and Columbia. Overall, the top non work-related websites that employees frequent at work are news (51%), online banking (38%), sites where personal email can be viewed (38%), travel sites (22%) and sports and shopping sites (both 15%).
ONLINE PORNOGRAPHY: 12% of employees admitted that they have visited a pornographic website while on a work PC or laptop either by accident or on purpose. This is more prevalent in Chile, Columbia, and Mexico, than compared to Brazil, China and Hong Kong.
ONLINE GAMES: employees visited online gaming sites during the work day more frequently in China, Brazil, and India, as compared to Mexico where none of the employees surveyed said they access gaming sites at work.
About the 2005 Asia Pacific/Latin America Web@Work Survey
The Asia Pacific/Latin America Web@Work study is a comprehensive annual survey of internet and application usage in the workplace. By surveying both employees and IT managers, the study reveals unique insights on employees' surfing habits as well as IT managers' perspective on the top network problems facing today's organizations. The Web@Work survey was commissioned by Websense, Inc. and conducted by Dynamic Markets Limited.
Survey Methodology
This survey was commissioned by Websense, Inc. and details quantitative research with IT managers with responsibility for security, and users (employees) at middle manager level in large companies across eight countries in the Asia Pacific and Latin America regions. The interviews were conducted via the telephone by Dynamic Markets Limited between May 9 and May 19, 2005. Before and during the interviews, respondents were not aware that Websense, Inc. had commissioned the research.
A total of 800 interviews were collected by Dynamic Markets Limited on behalf of Websense, Inc. 400 interviews were collected with general employees at middle manager level in eight countries. All respondents confirmed prior to interview that they were at middle manager level in a function other than IT, and that their company had 250 or more employees worldwide. Similarly, 400 interviews were collected with IT managers who have responsibility for IT security in their company. All IT respondents confirmed prior to the interview that they were an IT professional with responsibility for IT security and that their company had at least 250 employees worldwide. 03.08.2005, Websense, Inc.
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