Social network use at work soars

One-quarter of the Irish workforce spend more than two hours a day on social networking websites during work hours. That's according to a survey of more than 300 adults by online marketing agency Simply Zesty. Just 9 percent of respondents said they were not able to access social networks such as Facebook, Bebo and Twitter at work. "The results show that social media is playing a bigger part in people's day-to-day lives," the study concluded. The survey also demonstrated that more businesses are using social media themselves. "When asked if their business or company has a blog, 58 percent answered that they did. Social media has also affected the way that we seek employment - with 43 percent of respondents answering that they had used social media to find a job," the company said. For more on this story see BusinessWorld.ie.

Online apps cause staff stress

Web-related stress is leading to frustration, lowered morale and lost productivity, according to the results of the 2009 CA Web Stress Index. Seventy-eight percent of European workers say "web stress" results in wasted time and lost productivity, 49 percent admit it makes them angry and 38 percent say it is reducing their job satisfaction. While 97 percent of those surveyed said they wouldn't be able to do their job without web-based applications, 24 percent said they have to cope with badly performing applications every day, with an additional 34 percent claiming this happens on a weekly basis. Estimates put the cost of work-related stress in the EU at EUR20 billion per year. For more visit ENN.ie.

Cyber-criminals get more sophisticated

Businesses are at risk from increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks, security firm Cisco has warned. Companies are coming under ever more elaborate attack from business-aware criminals who are creating spam around major news events, such as swine flu, to gain access to company systems or persuade victims to visit malware-infected websites. Other threats include botnets and social networking sites, which still create a feeling among users that links and downloadable content are always safe. "[Criminals] are collaborating with each other, preying on individuals' greatest fears and interests, and increasingly making use of legitimate internet tools like search engines and the software-as-a-service model. Businesses need to adopt ever more advanced ways to fight cyber crime and remain vigilant across all attack vectors," said Patrick Peterson, Cisco's chief security researcher. For more visit www.v3.co.uk.

SaaS gets lukewarm response

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is receiving only a lukewarm reception from businesses, according to new research from analyst firm Gartner. A study found that SaaS users are generally somewhat satisfied, rating it on average 4.74 on a 7-point scale. However, only 32 percent of users plan to expand their use of SaaS over the next two years, while 58 percent will maintain current levels. The remaining 10 percent are split between decreasing and discontinuing their use of the technology. Around 42 percent of those who opted out of using SaaS said that it was too expensive, while 38 percent considered it too difficult to integrate with existing systems, and one-third said it did not meet their technical requirements. The report concludes that SaaS vendors must focus on delivering on the promise of a lower total cost of ownership, and reaffirm the fundamentals of the SaaS model: that it is, simpler, more intuitive, more agile and more modest in price. For more visit www.v3.co.uk. (For more on SaaS, see Issue 237.)

Here are some of the issues our forum members have been discussing in the last fortnight:

• What to do if technical staff leave view thread
• Are SPAM and UCE the same thing? view thread
• Blogging platform as content management tool view thread

Netbooks versus laptops

Web analytics: getting to know your customers

Case study: Future LED

Secure your laptop

NovaUCD, July 23
The ISSA is holding a special event to highlight opportunities for Irish security firms and to encourage unemployed Irish security professionals to consider starting a new business rather than changing career or looking for work in other countries. This free event, open to all, will aim to identify opportunities and supports available for security professionals starting new businesses.

WordPress is one of the most popular blogging software applications available on the net. This free tool can be easily integrated with your company website, allowing you to produce your own company blog. And for those who only need a very basic web presence, WordPress can function as a Content Management System, enabling you to create and maintain simple webpages. The site also hosts an array of plugins that enhance the basic functionality of the software.