With data breaches at Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Dropbox making headlines, computer professional Edward Snowden has warned people that care about their privacy to stay way from internet services such as Google, Dropbox and also Facebook.

But Ali Moinuddin, CMO of Workshare, says that while it is refreshing to finally see an insider boldly address the issues of sharing personal data across social media and sharing platforms and highlighting the existing security gaps, he also points out that this isn't just an issue that affects consumers, but it is a growing concern for businesses as well.

He says: "I agree with Snowden that we have a right to privacy, which is enshrined by legislation and is a basic human right, and it’s alarming to see that some government bodies are breaching this. However, while Edward Snowden highlights Google and Dropbox’s privacy concerns for individuals, it continues to surprise me that businesses are still relying on these consumer-grade applications for business data.

"According to our recent research, 80 percent of employees access work documents on the move and three quarters use free file sharing services without IT authorisation, leaving corporate documents vulnerable to compromise. Businesses need to be aware that these unsecure solutions are putting company data at risk.
 
"In light of Snowden’s warning and the upcoming EU regulations, IT groups should consider reviewing the current data protection applications and ensure it is trustworthy and tailored to the company’s needs. Failure to comply with the impending changes to data protection laws could result in charges of up to 100 million Euros or five percent of companies’ global turnover.
 
"We can only hope that Snowden’s comments have made people consider the applications that they are using and what they are deciding to put into cyberspace. But more importantly, we hope that businesses too are sitting up, listening and realising that without secure enterprise-grade solutions, they are putting sensitive information at risk."

source: www.smeweb.com