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40% of employees say IT security is too tough

Cybersecurity

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• Web app, other security threats skyrocket, IBM report says
• Cyberwar: Intel agency invades Pentagon with a flash drive

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Note: The Skinny blog is written by Rick Smith, editor and co-founder of Local Tech Wire and business editor of WRAL.com.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – With IBM reporting network security threats at an all-time high and after the Pentagon discloses a major “cyberwar” attack launched through a flash drive, are your IT managers likely to toughen network access or loosen?

Interestingly, a new survey out from Robert Half Technology notes that many chief information officers receive a lot of complaints from employees about corporate IT security.

RHT asked CIOs the following:

“How common, or uncommon, is it for employees at your company to complain about IT security measures that limit their access to certain websites or networks?”

The feedback:

• Very common: 12 percent

• Somewhat common: 29 percent

• Somewhat uncommon: 29 percent

• Very uncommon: 29 percent

• Not applicable: 1 percent

RHT recommends that frustrated employees adopt a four-step approach in seeking security policy changes:

• "Don’t be afraid to ask. Some policies may simply be outdated and no longer make sense. Asking someone in your organization’s IT department why access is restricted is often one of the quickest ways to resolve an issue.

• "Make a business case. If employees can’t access a client’s website or a professional networking site that can generate business, it will probably be an easy case to make. However, if the case isn’t that straightforward, be prepared to discuss how access to a site or network will help the business grow and why it’s necessary.

• "Listen. Even seemingly simple requests for access may be denied, but for good reason. It’s critical that workers understand IT security professionals are concerned with security across an organization. Allowing access to certain websites, even if justified from a business perspective, could be too risky enterprise-wide.

• "Compromise when necessary. If you have a strong business case to relax a particular IT restriction, but your IT security team thinks the risk is still too great, be ready to ask if there is a suitable compromise. They might offer another solution, such as setting up a computer with Internet access, but not connected to the company’s network. "

The RHT survey was comprehensive, involving conversations with 1,400 CIOs whose firms employ 100 or more people.

However, the bet here is that in the wake of recent news employees are going to have to make a very strong case to convince CIOs to open up the firewalls.

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The Skinny

WRAL Local Tech Wire Publisher and Editor Rick Smith dishes out tidbits from the local technology sector. Read more articles…