New research has uncovered that a third of SMB leaders do not trust employees to handle confidential information, with more than half stating that workers simply do not understand the importance of securing confidential information.
Other companies admit to not having sufficient technology or checks to protect confidential information, while two in five leaders say that their lack of trust is attributable to having been ‘burnt’ in the past.
The news comes from SMB cybersecurity company, CyberSmart, which used Censuswide data from 1,000 UK small and medium businesses for its findings, which also suggest one in five business leaders believe their workers may steal sensitive or proprietary information to sell for a profit or a competitive advantage.
Employees live in a bubble, protected from confidential information
The greatest risk, according to the participants, are current employees. Former employees take second place, while current interns and temporary workers round up the top three threats to CMB cybersecurity.
The study also reveals that many companies are simply lacking adequate policies relating to information sharing, gaining access to confidential data, and de-provisioning/offboarding. Most companies lack the latter, with just over one in five (22%) having a policy available for workers leaving the company.
CyberSmart CEO Jamie Akhtar said: “This research has shown that the biggest reason SME leaders cannot trust their employees with sensitive information comes down to a lack of security awareness training and the implementation of security measures and policies.”
The report alludes to a basic level of cybersecurity training that should be provided to all members of staff in order to lay the path to a more secure working environment.
Akhtar added: “It is crucial that SMEs re-evaluate their cybersecurity posture and consider the people, processes and technology components of their strategy for maximum protection.”