Phishing Emails Deemed Number One Threat By UK Businesses
Industry research by security company Clearswift has reported that malicious links within emails are perceived as posing the biggest cyber threat to UK businesses, with 59% of business decision makers highlighting this as their chief concern. This is indicated to be far more than any other cyber threat.
The research surveyed 600 senior business decision makers and 1,200 employees across the UK, US, Germany and Australia.
When asked what they see as the biggest threat to their organisation, business decision makers ranked phishing emails as the top threat in all four surveyed regions:
Cyber Threatscape Top 10
- Malicious links within emails – 59%
- Employees sharing usernames/passwords – 33%
- USB memory sticks/removable storage – 31%
- Users not following protocol/data protection policies – 30%
- Ex-employees retaining access to network – 28%
- Infection via malware from personal devices – 26%
- Hackers – 25%
- Employees using non-authorised tools/applications for work purposes (personal email drives/file sharing) – 25%
- Social media viruses – 24%
- Critical information on stolen devices – 23%
Duncan is a technology professional with over 20 years experience of working in various IT roles. He has a interest in cyber security, and has a wide range of other skills in radio, electronics and telecommunications.