File sharing through corporate networks up by 55%

With more and more people worldwide gaining broadband access to the Internet, file sharing is a tempting habit. What is striking though is that people do it not only from home, but increasingly from work, reports a study by web security firm ScanSafe.

Over the last three months, the number of MP3s and software illegally shared has increased by 55% on the corporate networks that ScanSafe tracks. This can harm employers not only through prosecution for copyright infringement: software downloaded from illegal sources is often infected with malware that might then spread across the corporation’s network.

"Employees mistakenly assume they can use the Internet at work in exactly the same way as they use it at home and this is potentially one of the reasons for this steady increase in illegal download attempts over recent months," said Scansafe’s director of product management, Spencer Parker. "Downloading illegal content is a 'double whammy' for employers as not only does it put them at risk legally but it also puts the company network at risk of being infected with malware."

source: Zeropaid.com

21-01-2010