Telecommuting presents privacy and security risks.

• Author: Heffes, Ellen M.
• Position: RISK MANAGEMENT

As more employees work remotely from home, personal and private information related to both employees and employers may be compromised if privacy and security risks are not dealt with effectively. This is according to a new report by Ernst & Young LLP and the Center for Democracy and Technology.

The report, Risk at Home: Privacy and Security Risks in Telecommuting, is based on a survey designed to identify the current state of privacy and security considerations in work-from-home arrangements. A total of 73 corporate and government organizations in 10 industries in the United States, Canada and Europe participated in the survey.

Respondents acknowledged telecommuting is a persistent area of risk and that the topic is often not adequately addressed and does not garner the attention of newer, more pressing business risks.

Survey findings also suggest that employers do not fully recognize and address the privacy and security issues, leaving organizations vulnerable to certain financial and reputational risks.

For example, while many firms allow telecommuters to handle personal information at home, only half of the survey respondents said they address this subject with formal policies and training. Indeed, the multidisciplinary nature of the topic--is it human resources, information technology, security or privacy?--make it difficult to determine whose responsibility it should be to address the risks.

Sagi Leizerov, a senior manager with E&Y's Advisory Services group, says "Employers need to establish clear guidelines that will protect confidential information from such risks; employees must understand why such requirements were created as well as the...