The analysis also shows that more business bandwidth (as opposed to “hits”) is taken up with YouTube videos than anything else: 10 per cent of all corporate bandwidth is taken up watching YouTube videos, an increase of two per cent since the last quarter of 2009.

This analysis comes shortly after the company researched 250 IT managers about their biggest security concerns over the coming year (research was conducted in April 2010). The top answer was “employees using applications on social networks” while at work, with 43 per cent of respondents saying this is a major concern. In a separate question, 36 per cent of respondents are concerned about malware passed via networks such as LinkedIn or Twitter, and employees trusting (and clicking on) links sent by contacts within their networks (more details of this survey on Network Box’s website).

The top five websites visited by businesses in Q1 2010 were:

1. Facebook – 6.8 per cent of all traffic
2. Google – 3.4 per cent of all traffic
3. Yimg (Yahoo!’s image server) – 2.8 per cent of all traffic
4. Yahoo! – 2.4 per cent of all traffic
5. Doubleclick – 1.7 per cent of all traffic

The top five bandwidth busting websites are:

1. YouTube – 10 per cent of all bandwidth used
2. Facebook – 4.5 per cent of all bandwidth used
3. Windows Update – 3.3 per cent of all bandwidth used
4. Yimg (Yahoo!’s image server) – 2.7 per cent of all bandwidth used
5. Google – 2.5 per cent of all bandwidth used

Simon Heron, internet security analyst for Network Box, says: “The figures show that IT managers are right to be concerned about the amount of social network use at work. There are two real concerns here: firstly that employees will be downloading applications from social networks and putting security at risk; and secondly the amount of corporate bandwidth that appears to be being used for non-corporate activity.”

About Network Box:
Network Box Limited (NBL) is an international managed security services company, specialising in unified threat management (UTM). It continuously defends the networks of its customers using PUSH technology to instantaneously update protection, from 12 Security Operations Centres spread around the globe. NBL’s customers in Asia, Australia, North America and Europe include companies such as BMW, Nintendo and Toyota, as well as banks, utilities companies and government organisations.

For more information, see www.network-box.com.

Further press information from:
Kate Hartley
Carrot Communications
Tel: 0771 406 5233
Email: networkbox@carrotcomms.co.uk