Endpoint Security Insider Threats

Millennials as the GRC Generation: Addressing Transparency and Risk Management

June 16, 2015

We recently released a study on device security that showed a clear disparity between how Millennials and other generations treat corporate data. According to our 2015 US Mobile Device Security Report, Millennials (age 18-34) pose a greater risk to data security by engaging in greater personal use of corporate devices, changing default settings, and accessing risky content (personal email, online banking or shopping, social media, public WiFi, file sharing etc). This risk increases the higher in the organization you go.

Research has shown that “people” are the root cause of most data breaches, with 90% of incidents tied back to mistakes, phishing, bad behaviour or lost stuff. Even with cybercrime on the rise, its often “non-malicious actions” by people that pave the way for successful cyberattacks. According to recent Pew ResearchMillennials are now the largest generation in the US labor force. If “people” are the force behind most data breaches, as research indicates, and Millennials are the most risky group of people, then this is a cause for concern.

Gartner Research Director John A. Wheeler notes how the rise of the Millennial generation in the workplace is changing the “nature of the workplace,” and we see this to be true. In particular, John’s article looks at the rise of governance, risk and compliance (GRC) technology as a means of increasing trust and transparency.

In a recent study by the Brookings Institution, the authors highlighted the fact that Millennials are the least trusting of big business, most ethically aware, and most supportive of governmental regulation than any other generation. In addition, they are less focused on the bottom line – both the company’s and their own...

These viewpoints will propel the use of GRC technology to help companies better manage risk in areas such as anti-corruption, ethical treatment of workers, proper financial reporting and reducing cyber crime.

The author suggests Baby Boomers were the “ERP Generation,” Generation X is the “CRM Generation,” and Millennials are the “GRC Generation,” shifting the focus of businesses for years to come. I guess it’s a good thing we specialize in both understanding the nuances of the “people” risk and that we offer one of the best endpoint GRC solutions on the market.

Read more about the “people” risk in our whitepaper, ‘The Enemy Within - Insiders are still the weakest link in your data security chain’. When it comes to data protection, Absolute Software can help your organization plug the security holes created by mobility and human error. Our unique persistence technology offers an important layer to any data security strategy and helps mitigate the risk of human error, rogue employees, and cybercrime. Learn more at Absolute.com

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