|
 IDC
and Facetime survey finds that simply prohibiting Instant Messaging
is not an effective information security tactic.
FaceTime Communications and IDC have conducted
a joint survey into Instant Messaging security. This shows that
most organisations which prohibit Instant Messaging in the enterprise
fail to address critical network security, information security
and regulatory compliance risks posed by its unauthorised use among
workers.
36 percent of the survey’s respondents reported that IM is
prohibited by their organisations, but only 17 percent of those
prohibiting IM reported having a solution in place to block usage.
Public IM clients can easily be downloaded and used by workers without
IT knowledge or control unless IM blocking solutions have been implemented.
Of the businesses that haven't deployed IM strategically, 90 percent
cited adoption barriers that can easily be resolved by technology
solutions already on the market. For each of the top three concerns
- decreased productivity, compromised information and network security,
and difficulty in adhering to government regulations and corporate
standards - IM security and management solutions are available to
enable the safe embrace of Instant Messaging in the enterprise.
"To IM or not to IM, that is not the question in light of existing
consumer IM use,” said Robert Mahowald, research manager,
Collaborative Computing at IDC. "The right question is how
to use IM most effectively in the workplace, either by supporting
consumer IM use with the help of solutions that address security
and regulatory compliance implications or by embracing IM products
with sophisticated security and management tools that protect their
networks, ensure regulatory compliance, and safeguard both corporate
and personal data.”
Of the 64 percent of surveyed businesses that do embrace instant
messaging, 70 percent of large enterprises with 1,000 or more employees
cited improved communication (defined as time-sensitive information
exchange and communication with geographically dispersed groups)
and productivity enhancements as the primary IM deployment drivers.
87 percent of small and medium businesses with less than 1,000 employees
listed cost savings from reduction of e-mail and phone usage as
the chief value delivered by IM.
“FaceTime believes that organisations that don’t embrace
the business benefits of IM may put themselves at a competitive
disadvantage,” said FaceTime President and CEO Kailash Ambwani.
“But businesses that ban the use of IM without installing
solutions that can block it are vulnerable to far greater risks
associated with information and network security in addition to
regulatory and corporate compliance.”
www.facetime.com
•Date:
28th April 2004 •Region: N.America/World
•Type: Article •Topic:
ISM
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