The Ten Most Dangerous Things Users Do Online

By Dark Reading Staff

October 23, 2006

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End users -- god bless 'em. You can't live with 'em -- but without them, you wouldn't have a job. They're the reason you have an IT infrastructure; they're also the single greatest threat to the security of that infrastructure.

Because, in the end, most users have no idea how dangerous their online behavior is.

No matter how many times they train them, no matter how many classes they hold, most IT professionals still watch helplessly as end users introduce new malware because they "just couldn't resist looking at the attachment." Security pros cringe as their users download software for personal use, turn off firewalls to speed up a connection, or leave their passwords stuck to their laptops.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could give end users a list of the most dangerous things they do online every day, and then tell them why those activities are particularly risky?

We thought so, too. The following is our list of "The Ten Most Dangerous Things Users Do Online," along with some explanation of the risks -- and solutions -- associated with each. This list was generated directly from input we've received from IT people like you, and is arranged in descending order of danger, based on votes received from the experts and analysts who make up Dark Reading's editorial advisory board.

Stick this up on the door to your office. Better yet, stick it up on the company bulletin board -- or post it directly to each of your users. If it keeps one user from making a big mistake, then we'll have done our job -- and so will you.

1. Clicking on Email Attachments From Unknown Senders

We know, we know. Haven't we beaten this one to death already? With all the computer training courses, news reports, magazine articles, and memos from the IT department, are there any users left out there who don't know they aren't supposed to open email attachments from strangers?

Apparently, there are. IT managers, consultants, and other experts maintain that of all the dangerous things corporate end users do, opening email attachments is still the most potentially damaging.

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