Determined to use everything from personal notebooks and smart phones to music players and USB keys, tech-savvy workers are posing a growing threat to core systems and data. At the same time company security policies are failing to keep up with the trend.

Dubbed the “consumerisation of IT”, the trend looks certain to continue as a new generation of employees that has grown up with technology enters the workforce in growing numbers.

“IT managers have to strike a balance between controlling risks and offering flexibility and choice that maximises employee productivity,” says Symantec vice president Craig Scroggie. “If they don’t, they won’t be able to attract and retain talented people.”

Scroggie says recent research completed by his company found 75 per cent of companies still have policies that restrict the use of personal devices in the workplace. However at the same time, only 45 per cent of employees adhered to those policies.

“It puts workers at odds with information risk management policies,” he says. “Companies will need to rethink their entire approach.”

He points out that, on a single 160GB iPod, you can easily copy the entire contents of two notebook PCs and still have room for thousands of audio tracks and a few movies.

As well as allowing personal devices to connect to corporate networks, companies also had to think carefully about their policies regarding access to social networking sites. Any instilling blanket bans on such sites can expect a big backlash from young staff.