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4 Risks of Not Running Web Monitoring Software in Your Business (2019)

The Internet is a vast and powerful resource that has become imperative to business in all industries. Whether you’re a marketing agency that’s using the Internet to connect and engage with customers or a construction company that is using technology to manage projects, access to the Internet in the workplace is necessary for productivity.

3 construction workers reviewing blueprints on a large desk with a laptop computer and calculator.

Construction companies use the Internet to track project progress and to collaborate with contractors to complete the job effectively.

Despite the Internet’s ability to increase workplace productivity, the Internet can also be used by employees to waste company time, or even worse, to upload malicious files and programs to harm the computers. For this reason, a business strategy or company policy that wishes to maximize the benefits of Internet access as an employee resource should also implement powerful tools to protect computers from misuse, especially web monitoring and endpoint protection software.

Without web monitoring and endpoint protection, businesses are liable to face these 4 risks:

1. Risk of Productivity Loss

Believe it or not, this is actually one of the lighter consequences. While on the Internet, employees are often and easily distracted by the entertainment of memes, funny videos, social media chats, and many other non-productive activities. The fraction of company time that is wasted while on the Internet will result in exponential losses in productivity.

A female employee is browsing Facebook on her laptop computer while at work.

Employees are spending their working hours on social media sites such as Facebook, costing their employer in lost productivity.

2. Risk of Network Infection

Inappropriate Internet usage can amount to much worse than just time wasted, however. Without the right Internet control tools, carefree browsing could lead to employees, intentionally or not, accessing compromised websites and infected downloads that could hinder the businesses operation in many ways. Controlling internet use is essential for improving the security of your computers.

3. Legal Risk

Possibly the most damaging consequence of inappropriate Internet usage is related to the legal risks that a company takes by allowing employees to freely browse the Web. Inappropriate messages sent on a company network are inevitable HR nightmares, and could result in a legal investigation. Also, an unprotected network is susceptible to cyber attacks that are executed by cybercriminals to hijack company data. When a data breach occurs, the company responsible for the data could be in major hot water with the law.

Yahoo! logo with a graphic design of an envelope and gavel.

Yahoo Offers $117.5M Settlement in Data Breach Lawsuit per Threatpost.com

4. Public Relations Risk

This consequence is very much related to the legal risks of not monitoring computer and Internet usage in the workplace, as both of these consequences are a result of a company’s negligence to protect its network. In recent news, data breaches such as the Oregon Department of Human Services breach are making headlines in the worst way imaginable. When a network is compensated and a data breach occurs, the company responsible takes a major hit to their public reputation which could result in unimaginable losses financially as customers and investors will be hesitant to do business.

GET STARTED

Control Endpoints and Protect Your Network

Implement AccessPatrol to protect your network endpoints to prevent data breaches and malware attacks. With AccessPatrol, you can configure endpoint device policies to block or allow endpoint devices from accessing your network. You can also generate detailed reports to determine how employees are utilizing endpoints to handle company data, files, and programs.

AccessPatrol files operations report with 15 different file operations listed.

Audit your employee’s file transfer history and track company files that were copied onto endpoint devices.

Restrict Internet Access and Increase Productivity

Combine BrowseControl and BrowseReporter to control Internet access and report on Internet and computer usage. Controlling which websites your employees are able to access will restrict them from accessing potentially harmful domains that contain malware, and it will ensure that they are spending adequate time on work-related websites.

BrowseControl console with the Internet turned off and a blocked list of social media websites is configured.

BrowseControl’s Category Filtering feature allows administrators to block access to websites by category. With the Social Networks category blocked, employees can not access websites such as Facebook and Twitter.

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Sai Kit Chu
Sai Kit Chu
Sai Kit Chu is a Product Manager with CurrentWare. He enjoys helping businesses improve their employee productivity & data loss prevention efforts through the deployment of the CurrentWare solutions.