SymmetricalDataSecurity: Are Millennials Changing the Face of Cybersecurity?

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Are Millennials Changing the Face of Cybersecurity?

Millennials have now surpassed baby boomers in the work place, and are making their impact known. Although millennials were raised in a digital age, they don’t seem to have the same information security savvy when it comes to both their professional and personal lives. So what does that mean for your organization?

According to the report, nearly two-thirds of the 670 participants use personal devices for their private and company work, while 32 percent said they access social media at work. Another 32 percent download third-party apps for productivity while 20 percent said they do not notify the IT department about those apps.

From a security perspective, half of the respondents reported a breach or infection in the past two years, while 20 percent admit to using public WiFi to check banking information or paying bills online. Nearly half — 45 percent — report that they have received no security training at all.

These results indicate that many millennials, those born between 1977 and 1994, could turn into unintentional insider threats and rule-benders, the report said, in part because they are unfamiliar with rules about security and best practices. Referencing a report from the Deloitte University Press, the study said that by 2025, millennials will comprise 75 percent of the overall workforce.

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