Increased computer mobility opens door to web threats

Using the latest survey techniques, Trend Micro has collated data on the personal use of corporate laptops across the world. The social trends revealed indicate that enterprises and their users face significant security risks that prey upon company equipment being redirected for personal use.

"Publicising findings such as these is part of a continued commitment to eliminating web threats," said Samir Kirouani, Senior Technical Engineer, Trend Micro Middle East and Africa. "Companies need to be aware of the vulnerabilities created during 'out-of-hours' activity," he added.

Potentially problematic employee activities among the 1600 people surveyed include downloading executable files - a major source of malware - and sending confidential information via webmail and instant messaging. Visits to potentially unsafe websites are also commonplace.

Evidence suggests that mobile computer users, especially those using wi-fi hotspots, are less likely to be taken in by phishing attacks because of their experience as early adopters. However, many also report a high volume of spam which, while recognized as an attempt to defraud, is a time-consuming nuisance on account of the volume of spam being sent.

In the Middle East region, with the exponential growth of IT adoption - as demonstrated at GITEX this year - coupled with relative inexperience of dealing with web threats, means that a different trend is emerging, with less of the safeguards rooted in user familiarity.

"This excellent survey provides a snapshot of hotspots of internet activity" said Ian Cochrane, Marketing Manager, Southern Emerging Markets. "We see similar security risks in the Middle East which make our customers are potentially more vulnerable since threat awareness is not keeping pace with the exponential growth here."

"The security community is equipped to and has a duty to responsibly communicate these real dangers to the population at large. Trend Micro has a communications strategy that will be running between now and GITEX 2008 to achieve this goal,"

according to Cochrane.

Trend Micro is a global leader in network antivirus and Internet content security software and services. Full details of the study of Corporate End-User behaviour are available from Trend Micro's website.