A recent study by Cyber-Ark has revealed that an increasing number of IT professionals are using their administrative powers to access information not relevant to their role.
Cyber-Ark surveyed 400 IT professionals about how they use their privileged accounts. The survey found that 64 percent of UK IT professionals admitted to accessing information not relevant to their role, while 74 percent of U.S. IT pros admitted to doing the same. Further, 41 and 40 percent (UK and U.S. respectively) admitted they had used their admin password to access information considered to be confidential or particularly sensitive.
The fact that 67 percent of UK respondents and 78 percent of U.S. respondents say their privileged accounts are monitored does barely anything to pacify concerns when Cyber-Ark reports that 53 percent (UK) and 74 percent (US) have the ability to get around controls put in place to monitor access.
Asked what they would take if they knew they were going to be fired in the morning, only 30 percent of UK respondents said nothing. The U.S. respondents seemed a little more loyal to their employers, with 64 percent saying they'd take nothing. Of the 70 percent of British and 36 percent of Americans who said they would take something, the most prominent choice was the database (16 percent in both countries). Also on the list were privileged passwords, the email server admin account, financial reports, the CEO's password and R&D plans.
Those surveyed said they believed the people working IT departments were most likely to snoop around the network.
Have you ever snooped around on the network at work? Let us know in the comments below!
