Businesses warned over email use

By Michael O'Farrell

The threat of computer systems being attacked by computer viruses - which are inadvertently unleashed by staff as private emails are opened - could even lead to the downfall of email as a form of free communication, according to internet experts.

Barry Flanagan, founder of Ireland Online, said the dangers posed by free private email accounts such as Microsoft's Hotmail could ultimately render them unusable.

"That would be a tragedy because it's one of the most useful things that has come along in the last 50 years but it's the biggest threat to the continuing usefulness of the internet," he said.

Although many large companies have security measures, usually called firewalls, protecting their systems, an individual user of private email can still receive a malicious virus.

As a result Mr Flanagan said companies and large organisations such as universities needed to completely reassess the way they allow the internet to be used.

"Companies really need to be looking at what people are using the internet for and why," he said, adding that many firms falsely believe they are protected because they have installed anti-virus software.

Mr Flanagan said such protection software needed to be constantly upgraded to deal with sophisticated computer and internet viruses.

John Ryan of computer security firm Entropy, also said uncontrolled private email use could result in serious difficulties for businesses.

"Private email use is not seen by companies as being as big a threat as staff downloading pornography, for example, but that type of internet use can result in very serious consequences if not controlled properly," he said.

Mr Ryan said a ban on the use of private email accounts would likely be abused by employees and advised companies to use protection software to block the use of private email by staff altogether.

Tommy McCabe, director of IBEC's Telecommunications and Internet Federation, said the issue could even cause the downfall of an affected company and advised all firms to ensure an internet policy was enforced among staff.