Firms need to prevent data loss, expert says

Written by Louise Tate

Employees' use of social networking and email is a major threat to IT security, according to an expert.

Nicki Wallace, global solutions marketing manager at security management group RSA, said that these platforms are common causes of data breaches.

She explained: "Social networking is obviously causing a huge problem for our customers at the moment. That's purely because of the volume of people that are using social networking sites for personal activity."

The expert pointed out that people may use social networks to share corporate information without being aware of the IT security risks this presents.

In addition, Ms Wallace said that email is a common way in which confidential data such as financial information, customer details and intellectual property is lost.

She recommended that companies implement appropriate IT security measures when sending emails which include sensitive information, such as making sure they are encrypted.

Recently, a study from FaceTime Communications found that businesses are planning to boost their IT security in light of the popularity of Web 2.0 applications.