Are Younger Generations an IT Security Risk?

They may be more tech savvy, but are they keeping your data secure?

Younger generations may have grown up with technology at their fingertips, but according to a study on U.S. mobile security by Absolute Software they may not be so good at keeping that tech secure. The study found many younger respondents have lower expectations of their own responsibilities when it comes to keeping data secure, and that a full five times as many Millenials compromise IT security when compared to Boomers.

The study’s finding that younger generations’ habits of using work devices for personal purposes, jailbreaking or otherwise modifying settings, and accessing “Not Safe For Work” content on sites of questionable security points to an amount of risk that is likely surprising to those who have been working under the assumption that tech savvy equals tech safe.

There are plenty of amazing younger folk who would make incredible assets to any organization, but when it comes to crisis management you can’t ignore the trend that’s been revealed in a number of recent studies and polls. A scary portion of today’s workforce is putting their employer at risk of a tech-related crisis, and the best way to combat it is education. Make regular reinforcement on the do’s and don’t of tech use as it relates to your workplace a priority, and make sure you include the why if you want anyone to listen.