Research shows almost 90% of organizations are concerned about consumer file sharing and meeting future data regulations
49% of organizations block file sharing applications today
NEW YORK, June 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Intralinks® Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: IL), a leading, global SaaS provider of content management and collaboration solutions, today announced the findings of two studies, which collectively surveyed over 800 global enterprise IT and business leaders to understand their collaboration requirements and identify the issues they face protecting sensitive data and valuable IP. The research shows widespread concern about how to maintain control of files as information security and privacy regulations tighten, fuelling a rush to block access to consumer file sharing applications like Dropbox and YouSendIt.
The research was reviewed by Hurwitz & Associates and leveraged for the firm's whitepaper titled, "Enterprise Collaboration: Avoiding the Productivity and Control Trade-Off." Marcia Kaufman, COO and Principal Analyst at Hurwitz and Associates, says: "There is widespread recognition that being able to collaborate effectively with partners and customers provides a competitive edge, but organizations are increasingly concerned about ensuring they also retain control over their data wherever it travels. Today, only 30% of organizations think they have adequate visibility and control over information shared outside their firewall."
Key findings from the research include:
- Employees are using consumer-grade file sharing without IT or business oversight. Many IT departments are not aware of the extent to which employees are sharing content using cloud tools designed for consumers. Across all the organizations included in one study, approximately 60% of employees are using consumer-grade tools for business, while 49% of organizations report attempting to block these services, clearly with limited success. This reality leaves organizations open to data leakage, inappropriate disclosures and regulatory risks.
- The accidental mishandling of information and data happens every day. Most organizations focus on preventing malicious data theft and hacking. While this is critical, the reality is that the vast majority of data loss is the result of accidental mishandling and inappropriate sharing. For example, 80% of study participants reported receiving an email not intended for them, while 53% confess to making the same mistake. An astonishing 43% say these errors occur on a monthly basis.
- Securing the perimeter and infrastructure does not ensure content security. Companies are moving to a more collaborative way of doing business, which results in an increased flow of data between parties both internal and external to an organization. Existing enterprise security strategies that provide security for data at rest are insufficient for sharing data that moves across corporate boundaries. Therefore, protection at the file level is needed in order to protect information wherever it travels.
- Regulatory issues around content security are real and evolving. New, more onerous regulatory requirements are being introduced at increasing rates. With the proliferation of consumer-grade technologies entering enterprise environments, IT and compliance departments are having difficulty meeting these new requirements. Almost 90% of the organizations participating in the study expressed concerns about meeting future regulatory demands around information security in their industry, with 43% expecting they will need to change their existing policies.
John Landy, CTO Intralinks, concludes: "We have invested a lot of time talking to global businesses about their enterprise collaboration needs and how they can safely share information. The reality is most organizations have limited insight into what content is being shared, where it is being shared and who is sharing it. Companies need to strike that fine balance between usability and diligent control when evaluating their collaboration strategies. Based on the intelligence collected through these studies, this research paper advises businesses on best practice guidelines for implementing collaboration tools to ensure regulators are appeased, corporate IP is protected and employees remain productive."
You can download a full copy of the whitepaper here.
About Intralinks
Intralinks Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: IL) is a leading, global technology provider of inter-enterprise content management and collaboration solutions. Through innovative Software-as-a-Service solutions, Intralinks solutions are designed to enable the exchange, control, and management of information between organizations securely and compliantly when working through the firewall. More than 2 million professionals at 800 of the Fortune 1000 companies depend on Intralinks' experience. With a track record of enabling high-stakes transactions and business collaborations valued at more than $19 trillion, Intralinks is a trusted provider of easy-to-use, enterprise strength, cloud-based collaboration solutions. For more information, visit www.intralinks.com.
About the research
Intralinks commissioned two research reports to investigate the challenges organizations face to securely and effectively collaborate. Intralinks commissioned the first of these studies in 2012 with a global strategic consulting firm to investigate the market requirements for enterprise collaboration. As part of this study, over 650 senior business and IT decision makers were asked to describe their current approaches to collaboration and their anticipated requirements. Intralinks commissioned the second of these studies in 2013 with SC Magazine, a division of Haymarket, to conduct a survey of 200 enterprise IT and business executives to understand the risks they face with existing collaboration technologies.
Forward Looking Statements
The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are express or implied statements that are not based on historical information and include, among other things, statements concerning Intralinks' plans, intentions, expectations, projections, hopes, beliefs, objectives, goals and strategies. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the results expressed, projected or implied by any forward-looking statements will be achieved, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. As such, Intralinks undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. For a detailed list of the factors and risks that could affect Intralinks' financial results, please refer to Intralinks public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year-ended December 31, 2012 and subsequent quarterly reports.
Trademarks and Copyright
"Intralinks" and Intralinks' stylized logo are the registered trademarks of Intralinks, Inc. This press release may also refer to trade names and trademarks of other organizations without reference to their status as registered trademarks. © 2013 Intralinks, Inc. All rights reserved.
SOURCE Intralinks Holdings, Inc.
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