Right now your employees are looking at Facebook and surfing MySpace, If this doesn’t worry you then it should. Yesterday, 21 July 2010 it was announced on the BBC website that Facebook hit the 500 million user milestone with 100 million new users in the last six months. The UK currently has about 26 million Facebook users. Social networking sites have gained popularity over recent years but is generating the same concerns that instant messaging did at the start of the decade.
As a business blocking Facebook altogether can be just as counterproductive in productivity and morale terms as leaving it on. Technlogies exist such as Sophos’s Web Security and Control appliance. Although some people are using social networking application for genuine work reasons such as networking with colleagues in other companies and joining groups relating to work-based interests.
However, vunerabilities and exploits are still found on these social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and Twitter with alarming regularity. Some rely on naivety. These exploits are generally hide in the forms of ‘funny video’ that directs you to download a new version of a movie player to watch the video which contains a trojan/virus which then attack the persons computer.
Businesses won’t be worrying about the dangers of having their network taken over, It will be the virus attacks from the exploits contained on these sites. Also, employers are more likely to be concerned with the productivity and liability problems of having employees using social networking sites indiscriminately.
If you are thinking about Controlling Internet use at work the give us a call on 01902-732400.