The unauthorised use of personal file-sharing apps at work is a growing problem that can no longer be swept under the rug and ignored. On one hand these services, such as Dropbox and Google G Suite, can help employees to collaborate and share information. On the other, they often lack adequate security controls. That means countless numbers of employees around the world who share company information through such platforms are inadvertently putting their organisations at risk of information security breaches and data loss.
Most employees don’t realise the dangers that can arise from the unsanctioned use of personal file sharing services in the business environment. A survey conducted by M-Files found at least 50 per cent of employees have used unauthorised file sharing and sync solutions to share or store sensitive company information.
The real problem is that when employees use consumer file sharing services to share company information that data is taken outside of the company’s IT environment, often onto external servers and where data’s privacy settings are beyond the control of the enterprise. This reality increases the risks of data leakage, security vulnerabilities, and ultimately damage to the business.