GCHQ advises businesses to ban employee phones and memory sticks
GCHQ has reportedly advised British businesses to ban the use of company smartphones and memory sticks in a desperate measure to stem a flood of cyber-attacks and reduce the risk of blackmail by enemy agents.
According to reports in The Telegraph the UK’s spy agency has resorted to the draconian advice after identifying employees as the ‘weak link’ in security that no amount of clever software can hope to protect against.
Their advice extends to outlawing the use of company laptops when connected to external wi-fi networks and to constantly update web browsers to ensure maximum protections.
10 Steps to Cyber Security also warns of the dangers of rogue employees seeking to steal information or sabotage systems, either through personal grievance or external blackmail threats.
Going further the document urges employers to “Assess business requirements for user access to input/output devices and removable media (this could include MP3 players and Smart phones).”