From "borrowing" Wi-Fi from neighbors to storing critical files on thumb drives, many small businesses are engaging in risky security practices in an effort to cut costs, according to a new survey.

Small businesses are strapped for cash and some are treading on pretty dangerous ground as they look for ways to save money. According to a new survey of more than 700 small business professionals funded by Lenovo and AMD (NYSE: AMD), 25 percent of small businesses reported they or someone in their company piggyback on other available Wi-Fi networks to conduct business. Almost one in five senior-level executives (17 percent) and proprietor/owners (17 percent) surveyed say they piggyback on wireless networks.


In a piece penned for sister site SmallBusinessComputing.com, Stuart J. Johnston writes, “The continued downward pressure of the crawling recovery on budgets at small businesses is causing many of them to cut corners on IT expenses. Cost-cutting strategies range from "borrowing" Wi-Fi from neighbors to storing critical files on thumb drives…risky small business security practices, to say the least.”

Even for those small businesses that can afford dedicated IT staff, though, restrictive budgets may foster what Lenovo calls an "alarming" lack of attention to keeping data safe.

For the full story, see "'Borrowing' Wi-Fi, Saving to USB Drives" at SmallBusinessComputing.com.

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