Enterprise security at risk in the post-PC era

Almost three quarters (73 percent) of US-based office workers with enterprise-issued tablets have used them to download personal software and apps. A new survey carried out for content collaboration specialist Huddle by IPSOS-Mori reveals this and other potential security risks resulting from blurred lines between personal and enterprise devices.

The nationwide survey of 2,000 US office workers shows that 62 percent download personal software to company-owned smartphones and 45 percent do the same on laptops. The majority of the 44 percent of office workers using company-issued devices download personal software such as iTunes, Spotify and Dropbox. In addition 52 percent admit to storing, sharing and working on work documents via their personal smartphones, tablets and laptops.

While 23 percent of office workers are aware of their organization's Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, the study reveals that personal devices are coexisting with enterprise-issued gadgets in the workplace rather than replacing them.

"The meteoric rise of the cloud and mobile devices -- whether personal or company property -- in the workplace, along with people’s expectations that they should be able to work from any location, at any time, means it's no longer possible to keep all corporate data on company premises," explains Alastair Mitchell, CEO of Huddle. "The post-PC era is well and truly here. Organizations now need to consider how they stop company data walking out of the door with people and what measures need to be put in place to ensure teams can get their jobs done without compromising security".

When it comes to storing enterprise content on personal laptops, tablets and smartphones, office workers aged 18 to 24 years old are the most likely culprits with 51 percent keeping work documents on personal laptops, 42 percent storing work files on personal smartphones and 11 percent holding enterprise documents on personal tablets.

It's older workers that are worse for downloading personal software to company devices though. 81 percent of 32 to 38 year olds and 70 percent of 25 to 31 year olds download personal apps and software onto enterprise smartphones. On enterprise tablets 82 percent of 32 to 38 year olds download personal apps and software.

See the infographic below for an easily digestible breakdown of the figures.