Employees pose significant threat to corporate data: Harris Interactive

A survey of more than 3,400 employees in the US, UK and Australia finds corporate data may be on its way out the door when certain employees resign or get laid off.

The research, conducted by Harris Interactive for security firm SailPoint, found a significant number of employees polled admitted to misusing using company data, several in one part of the world even said they would be comfortable selling proprietary and sensitive information for profit.

Of those polled, 22% of US, 29% of Australian and 48% of British employees who have access to their employer’s or client’s private data indicated they would feel comfortable doing something with that data, regardless if that access was intentional or accidental.

The report revealed that many employees would forward electronic files to a non-employee, with 10% of Americans, 12% of Australians and 27% of British employees indicating they would do so. In addition to which, 9% of Americans, 8% of Australians and 24% of Britons admitted they would copy electronic data and files to take with them when they leave a company.

The survey asked if an employee would feel comfortable profiting from proprietary information by selling it on the Internet. While only 5% of American and 4% of Australian employees with access who answered the question selected this response, 24% of British employees with access said they would feel comfortable selling data.