Blame sales for those computer security breaches

Junior sales staff are most likely to be responsible for technological security breaches at work, according to a British survey.

The poll of 942 IT managers found that salesmen aged between 26 and 35 are most at risk from computer viruses and other online attacks.

Internet security firm MessageLabs, which commissioned the survey, said sales staff were too busy to worry about protecting themselves and their company from fraud.

"They are the natural multi-taskers," MessageLabs' Chief Security Analyst Mark Sunner told Reuters. "They're going to be on the phone, browsing the Web and using instant messaging all at the same time.

"With the huge pressure on them to close deals, they're going to be using all the technology at the same time to try and make themselves more effective."

Criminals target companies to steal their client lists, email databases or other sensitive corporate information, he added. Gangs could also try to hijack a company's computers to send millions of spam emails.

Viruses can damage files or slow a firm's computer network, while malicious programs can secretly gather information and send it to a third party.

Four out of 10 companies surveyed said they gave staff no training on Internet security. Half said they had been affected by a virus or malicious software.

Britain's Home Office (interior ministry) says three-quarters of businesses have suffered a virus attack.

On Monday, campaign group Get Safe Online said fewer than half of Internet users it polled for a survey felt responsible for their online security.

A fifth said it was up to their bank or Internet service provider to protect them. One in 10 fell victim to online fraud last year, losing an average of 875 pounds each.