Employees' illegal downloads

A growing number of firms have problems with their staff illegally downloading copyrighted files whilst at work.

Research just published by ScanSafe, the software-as-a-service firm recently acquired by Cisco, shows there has been a 55% increase in employees attempting to download illegal -- especially MP3 -- files, in the workplace over the last three months. To compile its figures, ScanSafe says it now processes data across more than 100 countries for millions of employees.

Worryingly, the firm says, all too often an employer will be held legally responsible for any wrongful acts committed by an employee "in the course of their employment" even if it is expressly prohibited by the employer.

"Employees mistakenly assume they can use the internet at work in exactly the same way as they use it at home and this is potentially one of the reasons for this steady increase in illegal download attempts over recent months," Spencer Parker, ScanSafe's director of product management, said. "Downloading illegal content is a double whammy for employers as not only does it put them at risk legally, but it also puts the company network at risk of being infected with malware. A large majority of free illegal downloading websites are often riddled with malware." he added.

Because of these issues, Parker argues that organizations should formulate internet usage policies and educate employees on the goals of their policies, including making clear the potential consequences of non-compliance. Employers, he says, should also require staff to sign and acknowledge their understanding of acceptable web use during working hours.

Source: Infosecurity.