DTI blames staff for network security flaws

By Rene Millman

Posted on 19 Jun 2007 at 12:25

The biggest risk to an organisation's network security is human error, according to a new report.

The Department of Trade and Industry research found that more than a third of respondents either wrote down their password on a piece of paper or recorded it somewhere on their computer.

The study also found that nearly two-thirds of the 1,800 UK adults questioned never changed their passwords.

The minister for Science and Innovation, Malcolm Wicks, says that the survey found a large number of people were "careless with passwords, unwittingly exposing themselves and their company to fraud and theft."

He adds that the UK lost £440 million to credit card fraud last year and that 62 per cent of companies experienced a network security incident. "Network security is also a major growth area where the UK has a good opportunity to become a global leader if we develop new technology to give us a competitive edge," says Wicks.

The department has embarked on four projects aimed at increasing network security by reducing the risk of human error. Each of the projects will use behavioural science to tackle human error. The DTI has given the projects £4 million in total.