According to research by McAfee, companies say the consumerisation of IT has made it more difficult to manage security.
Enterprises say the use of personal devices, social networking and growth of employee created data has exemplified the problem.
The McAfee study revealed that nearly 62% of UK businesses reported social networking as a significant threat to the information security of their organisation.
The practices of employees using mobile devices was said to be a concern as well. Nearly 59% of businesses said that employees’ failure to follow data-retention policies as a problem along with devices being lost or stolen.
The study suggests that many organisations could decrease their security worries simply by implementing a thorough BYOD policy.
Less than one in five businesses (19%) said their company actually had a comprehensive BYOD policy for employees using personal mobile devices. More than half of those organisations reported that it boosted security complexity.
"It’s clear that security professionals are dealing with an increasingly complex threat landscape," said Raj Samani, EMEA CTO at McAfee. "With employees wanting the same experience in the office as they have at home, it’s no surprise that social networking emerges as a serious concern for the IT department. As the consumerisation of IT continues to extend its reach into the workplace, it’s crucial for IT to take control and set manageable policies for employees to follow."
