79 percent of security pros don't think their company has adequate protection

Half of security professionals say it's almost impossible to find the right balance between security and employee productivity, and 79 percent don't think their security protections are adequate.

A new study from 1Password, based on a survey of 1,500 North American workers, including 500 IT security professionals, finds 69 percent of security pros admit they're at least partly reactive when it comes to security. While 61 percent believe they're being pulled in too many conflicting directions.

On the non-security employee side of things 34 percent admit to using unapproved apps and tools, otherwise known as shadow IT. On average, these workers use a total of five shadow IT apps or tools -- each representing a potential new threat vector.

Nearly one in five employees (17 percent) admit to never working on their work-provided devices, opting instead for personal or public computers. 54 percent admit to being lax about their
company’s security policies too. Reasons include a desire to get things done quickly and be
productive (24 percent) and the belief that security policies are inconvenient (11 percent) or too
stringent or unreasonable (11 percent). 44 percent say security would be less of an issue
if tools were easier to use and policies were easier to follow.

"Since the pandemic, employees have gained unprecedented flexibility in where and how they
work, and that flexibility often extends to the apps and devices they use. Productivity has
become paramount, leaving significant security challenges for IT and security leaders -- who
often feel like they don't have bandwidth or budget to keep employees secure," says Jeff Shiner,
CEO of 1Password. "When it comes to security and productivity, it shouldn't be either-or.
Businesses and security providers alike need to deliver solutions that keep employees protected
and productive -- no matter how they prefer to work. When you secure your people, you secure
your business."

The full report is available on the 1Password site.

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