SharePoint users breaching own rules

Recently published research is claiming to prove that users of Microsoft SharePoint are breaching security policies set by their own company.

SharePoint, which was launched some 13 years ago, is a platform and framework integrating document management, content management and  intranet under a single Internet collaboration umbrella. It also integrates well with MS Office.

The Cryptzone-sponsored SharePoint Security Report conducted a survey of 100 people who attended Las Vegas’ SharePoint Conference in March. Researchers discovered that 36 per cent of users are breaking security policies, gaining access to confidential and sensitive data they have no right to access.

Further, of those respondents (19 per cent) whose businesses don’t allow sensitive data to be held within SharePoint, close to 25 per cent said they were aware of people who had managed to access content they were not supposed to – revealing that users ignore security directives.

It was also discovered that many administrators believe they have permission for unrestricted access.

The report found that the possibility of SharePoint admin users taking advantage of access privileges without their employers knowing is very high, and that a large number of organisations fail to audit their own system for compliance. As a result, the report said that an organisation cannot be certain that it isn’t risking confidential and sensitive data.

For such company policies to be maintained without employees exploiting any opportunity they can find to access such data, bosses need to take another look at their IT security management set up.