Workers would peek at colleagues’ salaries if they could – survey
They’d also give themselves a raise, according to a study by Israeli firm CyberArk that shows it’s not just outsiders who pose a threat to companies’ data
Companies have plenty to worry about from their own employees when it comes to protecting sensitive data, according to a recent survey of United Kingdom office workers by an Israel-based cybersecurity firm.
Over half of the people surveyed said they would access sensitive data if they knew they wouldn’t get caught. Just under a third said they would give themselves a raise, and 19 percent said they would give themselves extra vacation time.
The survey was conducted in May by CyberArk, a cybersecurity firm based in Petah Tikva, which interviewed 1,000 UK workers in companies that have more than 250 employees.
The research also revealed that some of the most coveted information for employees was how much their colleagues earned, what people were saying about them, and other sensitive human resources data.
Disgruntled employees are twice as likely to want to spy on their company as contented coworkers, the study found. A third of this group said they would make sure they were being compensated fairly, 27% would search for office gossip and 20% would want to expose unethical or corrupt business practices. Eighteen percent said they would go after dishonest or lazy colleagues or superiors.
Forty percent of respondents said they would not want to break into their companies’ computers because they think it’s wrong — the most common reason given. Getting caught was the main deterrent for 27%, and 21% said their lack of technical skills was the obstacle.
