Millennials Playing Fast and Loose with Corporate Data

A survey carried out by Echoworx, makers of the first smart platform for message encryption, has found that 18 to 34 year olds send almost twice as many confidential emails to the wrong recipients than ‘Gen Xers’, raising concerns over UK organisations’ internal governance policies.

The survey findings, which have been released today, looked into users’ perceptions of email as a secure means to share sensitive corporate data. 30 per cent of Millennials admitted to sending confidential corporate information to the wrong recipient. Furthermore, a considerable number of respondents admitted to the receipt of confidential data via email that was unintended for them, at 50 per cent (18-34) and 39 per cent (35-54) respectively.

With Millennials expected to account for 75 per cent of the UK’s workforce in a decade’s time, perhaps the most striking revelation from the study was their lack of concern over email security. Over half believe email to be the most secure form of communication.

“These results highlight a clear lack of awareness about email security, in an industry where corporate data is highly regulated. What is all the more worrying is the future workforce’s understanding of email security. Businesses need to quickly revisit their internal governance policies to ensure that all employees are sufficiently trained and fully aware of the damages associated with email-related data breaches”, said Jacob Ginsberg, Senior Director, Echoworx.

The study went on to reveal how security risks are on the rise among 18-34 year olds; with 54 per cent accessing confidential work information on a personal device.

Jacob Ginsberg continued: “The key to keeping corporate data completely secure is to make it as simple as possible for the user. Companies need to have encryption built into their email solutions to ensure that all sensitive information is kept secure. This is particularly important for organisations running BYOD policies that allow staff o upload and download data to and from the corporate network, anywhere, any time.”

The research, which polled 1,000 financial services professionals across the UK, was carried out by OnePoll on behalf of Echoworx in April 2015.