Over 66 p.c do not have security policy for removable media--Survey

MUMBAI: Pointsec

Mobile Technologies, provider of enterprise security software for laptop and

desktop PCs, PDAs and smartphones, today published results from a survey on the

use of removable media among IT professionals.

The survey is conducted for the second year in a row and shows that the

number of IT professionals who use USB memory sticks, digital media players and

external disks, has doubled compared with last year's results.

The survey this year was conducted amongst 248 IT professionals in the United

Kingdom (many of whom are IT security managers). Over 66 percent of those who

use removable media have no security policy for removable media. Over 65 percent

are aware of the security risk associated with that kind of media that could

easily get lost or fall into the wrong hands.

56 percent of the surveyed are using their mobile storage devices to store

corporate information such as contracts, proposals and other business documents.

22 percent use them to store their customer's name and addresses. Three percent

store passwords and bank account numbers on removable media. Most of them, 70

percent, use removable media to store downloaded music files.

Only 21 percent have some security in place on their media, such as password

protection or encryption. 12 percent are banning the use of removable media in

the company.

The use of mobile devices and removable media such as USB memory sticks has

increased enormously, not only in the home but also at work. The devices are

small and cheap but they are ticking security bombs if they're not secured

properly, said Peter Larsson, CEO of Pointsec. The importance of securing

removable media has increased after the implementation of legislation frameworks

such as Sarbanes Oxley and Basel II.

© CyberMedia News