* Novell surveys telecommuters
Novell U.K. likes to talk to its users. So much so that it frequently surveys them on one topic or another (see editorial links below). Novell is at it again.
As reported by the BBC (see editorial links below) a study by Novell found 80% of Britons admit to not taking computer security precautions when working from home. The results showed that telecommuters were more concerned about “distractions from the television,” “feeling lonely” and “missing the buzz of the office,” than they were about security concerns such as computer viruses and hackers. Surprisingly, the survey showed that most workers were more concerned with security when they were temporarily in a branch office than they were when they were working at home.
The BBC quotes Novell U.K. Managing Director Steve Brown, as saying: “The number of people working from home or from a remote office is growing all the time. The benefits of having a more flexible workforce are clear, but the dangers are sometimes less obvious. As the numbers of home workers grow, so does the number of security risks to businesses.” He says security just isn’t top of the home worker’s agenda, and the only way to protect against this growing type of security threat is to take the responsibility off home workers. But how can you do that?
Well, if Novell didn’t have an answer it probably wouldn’t have released the survey, right? The secret, really, is Novell’s concept of identity-based computing, which merges identity- and resource-management technologies. Access to corporate assets is as tightly controlled – but as easy to use – for the worker at home as it is for the worker in the office. Read the study “Exploring Secure Identity Management,” a joint production of Stanford University and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (see editorial links below), which looks at how many Global 2000 companies are suffering from serious vulnerabilities and operational inefficiencies due to a lack of secure identity management. The study also explores the key business drivers for secure identity management, as well as obstacles to its adoption.
Make sure your telecommuters are aware of the security implications of working at home. And even if they are aware, you should take the necessary steps to ensure that their environments are secure.
You might also suggest that someone check on the productivity of the telecommuters. While the survey revealed that 9 out of 10 Britons believe working from home will make them less stressed and more productive, citing the ability to avoid the daily commute, take flexible breaks and wear comfortable clothes as the main benefits of working from home, 1 in 5 did say they would like to work from home to have the chance to watch daytime television and loaf!
