Computer users are more likely to engage in risky online behaviour, such as opening suspicious emails, at work than at home, according to a survey by Trend Micro. The antivirus firm warns that this could place extra burdens on IT departments.
According to the survey of 1,200 corporate end users in the US, Germany and Japan, a third of US respondents, and over a quarter of those from Germany and Japan, who admitted that they are more likely to open suspicious emails or click on suspicious links at work said it was because the computer equipment was not their own.
But the survey also found that 39% believed that IT departments could prevent them from falling victim to threats like spyware and phishing. This belief prompted many of them to admit bolder online behaviour, such as following suspicious links.
Of these cavalier clickers, 63% put their confidence down to the security software installed on their work PCs. Forty percent said that they were more willing to click because IT was on hand to provide support if problems occurred.
This, says Trend Micro, shows a clear correlation between the presence of an IT department and end-user confidence in the security they expect against viruses, worms, spyware, spam, phishing, and pharming.
It also emphasises the importance of IT departments ensuring that they have up-to-date security across the business network.
