A new survey has revealed the extent to which many SharePoint users have been compromising the security of the SharePoint platform and has called on companies and organisations using SharePoint to double-check their security safeguards.
The survey, carried out by security consultants, Cryptzone, was based on the views and attitudes of SharePoint users canvassed whilst attending a SharePoint conference in the UK last November.
Among the findings of the survey was the revelation that 45% of respondents had copied documents from SharePoint onto low security media such as email; with 18% admitting they regularly carried out such copying.
Although 92% of those surveyed said they were aware that copying SharePoint documents in this way undermined the system’s security, many said they felt they had no choice in the matter, largely owing to the fact that those with whom they wished to communicate did not have access to SharePoint.
Tying in with this, 56% of respondents claimed the organisations they worked for did not permit access to SharePoint by selected third parties; even though there was a legitimate business need to share crucial documents and other information with these outside contacts.
Overall, of those who admitted moving documents out of SharePoint, 33% claimed they did not consider the potential threat to security, whilst 30% claimed that operational requirements left them with no other choice. 23% meanwhile claimed that the documents they had moved did not have any security implications.
In light of the survey, Cryptzone has recommended a number of measures including encrypting the most confidential documents.
