Most backup and security vendors overlook teams as an important communication channel. Employees often pass on business-critical information that also affects security. Wrong listeners can skim off information in this way.
Hornetsecurity urgently points out that many companies need better protection for Microsoft Teams data. A commissioned study highlights the often-overlooked need for Teams backup and security. The survey revealed that almost half of the users (45%) often send confidential and critical information via the platform. Internal corporate communication via chat has now become established in many companies and is therefore almost on the same level as communication via e-mail. The study was conducted by techconsult, an established German IT research and analyst firm.
Teams also a channel to private devices
The analysis showed that 90% of respondents prefer user chats (direct messages) to group conversations (in a Teams channel). Overall, more than 41% of employees also send at least 10 user chat messages per day. Personal preferences result in an unequal distribution of communication within the platform. Just over a quarter of all messages (26%) are sent in Teams channel conversations.
Almost half (45%) of respondents also frequently share confidential and sensitive information across teams, with 51% of these frequently sending business-related documents and data. 51% of users tend to send such information from privately used devices. Only 29% of users use a work device to send restricted or confidential data.
It's easy to make mistakes
🔎 38% send business-critical messages to public groups (Image: Hornetsecurity).
The survey also showed that 48% of all respondents sent messages through teams that they shouldn't have sent. It is noteworthy that 88% of this group had already been trained in the use of collaboration solutions. In addition to improved backup, this also highlights the need for better training on how to use Teams and the risks of sending sensitive data.
Teams backup also for user chats
More than half of respondents (56%) see employee training and awareness as the most important approach to reducing cybersecurity risks. However, with 89% of respondents more likely to use direct user chat to communicate, it's important to use a backup solution that protects all of Teams' collaborative features.
Microsoft doesn't provide robust protection for data shared across Teams. So companies must ensure that information and files exchanged via the platform are secured in a responsible manner.
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About Hornetsecurity Hornetsecurity is the leading German cloud security provider for e-mail in Europe and protects the IT infrastructure, digital communication and data of companies and organizations of all sizes. The security specialist from Hanover provides its services via 10 redundantly secured data centers around the world. The product portfolio includes all important areas of e-mail security, from spam and virus filters to legally compliant archiving and encryption, to defense against CEO fraud and ransomware. Hornetsecurity has around 200 employees at 12 locations around the world and operates with its international dealer network in more than 30 countries.