What? The Ponemon Institute has recently published a survey highlighting the risks posed globally by social media.
So What? The survey looked at what security threats target users of social networks and how they affect companies. It reportedly involved 4,640 IT and IT security practitioners from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Mexico, Singapore, the UK and the United States.
The main threats highlighted by the survey were: the increased threat of malware, brand hijacking, lack of control over content, and non-compliance with record management regulations. They survey also found that many organisations did not have adequate security controls in place to mitigate the risk posed by social media and those organisations with a social media policy in place, don't enforce it due to lack of governance or because they are putting other security issues first.
The report confirms that while social media can play an important role in building greater brand awareness and enhancing an organisation's image, it presents serious risks that should not be ignored.
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