This document summarizes the results of a global survey of 1,325 organizations regarding SMB file sharing behaviors. Key findings include: 1) file sharing behaviors make SMBs vulnerable to security risks; 2) employees influence technology adoption; and 3) security threats and data loss are major risks of file sharing. The majority of respondents said file access across devices and sharing capabilities were important.

1. SMB File Sharing Flash Poll
Global Key Findings

2. Methodology
• Survey performed by Applied Research
• 1,325 global organizations
– 30 countries
• NAM 2
• LAM 14
• EMEA 7
• APJ 7
• Person in charge of IT
• Cross-industry
2

3. Key Findings
• Behaviors surrounding file sharing are making SMBs vulnerable to risk
• SMB employees influence adoption of file sharing solutions within their
organizations
• Security threats and data loss are potential risks associated with file sharing
• SMB organizations are becoming more distributed while file size is growing
3

4. Employees Influence Adoption
• Employees somewhat-to-extremely influential in adopting various technologies
• Security and productivity were the top considerations for providing technologies to
employees
Q7: How important are the following factors in providing
employees with applications and devices they use for
Q6: How influential are your employees when it
business purposes?
comes to adopting technologies for official internal
(Somewhat/Extremely important)
use in your organization?
(Somewhat/Extremely influential)
Networking with peers 64%
Control 69% Social media/social… 53%
Cost savings 69%
Ease of use 70% File sharing 61%
Employee satisfaction 71%
Mobile device usage 63%
Ability to complete work … 72%
Security 72% PC/Laptop/Tablet usage 64%
Productivity 74%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
4

5. File Sharing Priorities
Q8: How important are the following features to your
• 74% report the access to files employees when it comes to accessing and sharing
files?
across devices as (Somewhat/Extremely important)
somewhat/extremely important
feature File collaboration 68%
• The ability to share files (71 %); Ability to upload and update files in
71%
shared workspaces
the ability to upload and update
files in shared workspaces Ability to share large files 71%
(71%), and file collaboration (68
Ability to access files across
%) were also viewed as desktops, laptops and mobile 74%
somewhat/extremely important devices, including personal devices
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
5

6. File Sharing Risks
• Security and data loss were viewed as the most significant potential risks
with regards to file sharing solutions
– 44% of respondents viewed employees sharing confidential information using
unapproved solutions to be somewhat-to-extremely high risk
– 44% of respondents viewed malware to be somewhat-to-extremely high risk
– 43% reported loss of confidential or proprietary information to be somewhat-to-
extremely high risk
6

7. File Sharing Awareness
• 10% of respondents were somewhat/completely unfamiliar with how
employees are sharing files internally/externally
• 25% have not implemented internal policies restricting how employees
access/share files; 18% in the process of implementing
Q13: Have you implemented internal policies restricting how your
employees can access and share files internally and externally?
In the process of
implementing
18%
Yes
No
57%
25%
7

8. File Sharing Behaviors
• When asked what employees might do when they need to share a large
file, respondents indicated they would:
– Search online and download a free solution (27%)
– Download application without input from IT (29%)
– Utilize IT system in place (33%)
– Use solution suggested by customer, contractor or partner (42%)
– Ask IT for help (51%)
• 41% indicated damaged brand reputation/loss of customer consequence of
not sharing a large file quickly
8

9. SMBs Becoming More Distributed
• SMB employees are increasingly working remotely and from home
Q1: What percentage of your organization Q2: What percentage of your
(including contractors) works remotely? organization (including contractors)
regularly works from home at least
once per week?
Three years ago 22%
Three years ago 20%
One year ago 26%
One year ago 24%
Today 32% Today 28%
One year from now 37% One year from now 32%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
9

10. Email Primary File Sharing Tool
• Two-thirds of respondents indicated email was a top most commonly used
file sharing/collaboration solution.
• One year from now, some expect to adopt other options with email
dropping as a most used solution (from 64% to 52%).
Q3: What are/were your top two most commonly used solutions for
sharing and collaborating around files, both internally and externally?
(Today)
Other (Please specify) 1%
Cloud content management solutions 15%
External storage media 19%
Third-party cloud-based file-software… 27%
Enterprise Content Management solutions 32%
Shared file server 39%
Email 64%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
10

11. Files Getting Larger
• One in seven (14%) report the average size of file shared by their
organization to be more than 1 GB today
• Only 6% estimated the average size of file to be more than 1 GB three years
ago and five years ago.
Q5: Estimate the average size of a file shared by your organization:
(Today)
Less than 1 MB 5%
1 to 3 MB 8%
3 to 10 MB 12%
10 to 20 MB 14%
20 to 50 MB 11%
50 to 100 MB 14%
100 to 350 MB 10%
350 MB to 1 GB 11%
More than 1 GB 14%
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%
11

12. Symantec Recommendations
• Centralize file storage and management with a secure web-based system
accessible regardless of device or location
• Implement a scalable system that can grow with your business
• Implement access controls and permissions to keep private files private
• Maintain oversight into how and when business files are shared
12

13. Appendix
All questions included
13

14. Demographics
14

15. DEMO2: How many total employees does your organization have
worldwide?
5 to 49 25%
50 to 99 25%
100 to 249 25%
250 to 499 25%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
15

16. DEMO3: What is your organization's primary industry?
Agriculture and Food Processing 2%
1%
Chemical Products 1%
10%
Eating and Drinking Services, Accommodations 2%
10%
Energy 2%
7%
Government 2%
10%
Legal 2%
1%
Manufacturing 10%
1%
Marketing Services 3%
1%
Pharmaceuticals 1%
3%
Public Services 0%
1%
Shipping, Freight, and Postal Services 2%
4%
Scientific Research, Professional and Technical Services 5%
4%
Wholesale and Retail 10%
6%
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12%
16

17. DEMO4: What is your primary role?
100%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Manage our computing resources
17

18. DEMO5: What is your title?
Company owner 21%
Senior Management 19%
Day to day office management 5%
Human resources 2%
IT Management 37%
IT Staff 11%
Administrative assistant 2%
External consultant/outsourcer/VAR reseller 1%
Other external vendor 0%
Other 3%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
18

19. DEMO6: What is your age?
50 or older (Boomer)
30 or less (Millennial)
15%
19%
31 to 49 (Gen-X)
66%
19

20. DEMO7: What is your gender?
Female
32%
Male
68%
20

21. DEMO8: For how many years have you been working in computer
systems and technology?
14
12
12
11
10
8
6
4
2
0
Mean Median
21

22. DEMO9: What are your company's annual revenues?
Less than $500,000 32%
$500,000 to $2 million 11%
$2 million to $7.5 million 20%
$7.5 million to $30 million 22%
$30 million to $100 million 6%
$100 million to $500 million 4%
$500 million to $1.5 billion 2%
$1.5 billion to $5 billion 2%
$5 billion to $25 billion 3%
$25 billion to $100 billion 0%
More than $100 billion 0%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
22

23. DEMO10: Characterize your company's year-over-year growth rate
in terms of annual revenue:
Declining 25% per year or greater 3%
Declining between 10 and 24% per year 4%
Declining between 1 and 9% per year 4%
Flat: Neither growing nor declining 18%
Growing between 1 and 9% per year 39%
Growing between 10 and 24% per year 20%
Growing between 25 and 49% per year 4%
Growing between 50 and 99% per year 4%
Growing 100% per year or more 0%
Decline to state 3%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
23

24. File Sharing Drivers
24

25. Q1: What percentage of your organization (including contractors)
works remotely?
(Means shown)
Three years ago 22%
One year ago 26%
Today 32%
One year from now 37%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
25

26. Q1: What percentage of your organization (including contractors)
works remotely?
(Medians shown)
Three years ago 15%
One year ago 20%
Today 25%
One year from now 30%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
26

27. Q2: What percentage of your organization (including contractors)
regularly works from home at least once per week?
(Means shown)
Three years ago 20%
One year ago 24%
Today 28%
One year from now 32%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
27

28. Q2: What percentage of your organization (including contractors)
regularly works from home at least once per week?
(Medians shown)
Three years ago 10%
One year ago 16%
Today 22%
One year from now 25%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
28

29. Q3: What are/were your top two most commonly used solutions for
sharing and collaborating around files, both internally and externally?
(Three years ago)
Other (Please specify) 1%
Cloud content management solutions 8%
External storage media 23%
Third-party cloud-based file-software applications 19%
Enterprise Content Management solutions 48%
Shared file server 33%
Email 65%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
29

30. Q3: What are/were your top two most commonly used solutions for
sharing and collaborating around files, both internally and externally?
(Today)
Other (Please specify) 1%
Cloud content management solutions 15%
External storage media 19%
Third-party cloud-based file-software applications 27%
Enterprise Content Management solutions 32%
Shared file server 39%
Email 64%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
30

31. Q3: What are/were your top two most commonly used solutions for
sharing and collaborating around files, both internally and externally?
(One year from now)
Other (Please specify) 2%
Cloud content management solutions 25%
External storage media 16%
Third-party cloud-based file-software applications 30%
Enterprise Content Management solutions 34%
Shared file server 37%
Email 52%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
31

32. Q4: Rate the importance of providing file sharing and collaboration
technology for your organization for the following scenarios:
1 - Extremely unimportant 2 - Somewhat unimportant 3 - Neutral 4 - Somewhat important 5 - Extremely important
100%
90% 19%
27% 28% 24% 25%
80% 37%
70%
34%
60% 35%
35% 32% 34%
50%
31%
40%
30% 33%
30% 31% 29%
30%
20% 27%
10% 10%
6% 7% 8% 8%
4%
0% 2% 3% 4% 2% 3% 4%
Between internal Project management - With clients and Remote collaboration Large file sharing With third party
teams internal and external customers vendors
32

33. Q4: Rate the importance of providing file sharing and collaboration
technology for your organization for the following scenarios:
(Somewhat/Extremely important)
With third party vendors 53%
Large file sharing 59%
Remote collaboration 59%
With clients and customers 60%
Project management - internal and external 61%
Between internal teams 67%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
33

34. Q5: Estimate the average size of a file shared by your organization:
(Today)
Less than 1 MB 5%
1 to 3 MB 8%
3 to 10 MB 12%
10 to 20 MB 14%
20 to 50 MB 11%
50 to 100 MB 14%
100 to 350 MB 10%
350 MB to 1 GB 11%
More than 1 GB 14%
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%
34

35. Q5: Estimate the average size of a file shared by your organization:
(Three years ago)
Less than 1 MB 8%
1 to 3 MB 13%
3 to 10 MB 13%
10 to 20 MB 14%
20 to 50 MB 15%
50 to 100 MB 12%
100 to 350 MB 12%
350 MB to 1 GB 8%
More than 1 GB 6%
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%
35

36. Q5: Estimate the average size of a file shared by your organization:
(Five years ago)
Less than 1 MB 19%
1 to 3 MB 15%
3 to 10 MB 12%
10 to 20 MB 10%
20 to 50 MB 12%
50 to 100 MB 10%
100 to 350 MB 9%
350 MB to 1 GB 8%
More than 1 GB 6%
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%
36

37. Adoption Cycles
37

38. Q6: How influential are your employees when it comes to adopting
technologies for official internal use in your organization?
1 - Not influential at all 2 - Not that influential 3 - Neutral 4 - Somewhat influential 5 - Extremely influential
100%
90% 24% 21%
27% 24%
80%
70%
33%
60%
40% 36%
37%
50%
40%
30% 32%
28% 29% 31%
20%
10% 10%
7% 6% 7%
2% 1% 2% 5%
0%
PC/Laptop/Tablet usage Mobile device usage File sharing Social media/social network
usage
38

39. Q6: How influential are your employees when it comes to adopting
technologies for official internal use in your organization?
(Somewhat/Extremely influential)
Social media/social network usage 53%
File sharing 61%
Mobile device usage 63%
PC/Laptop/Tablet usage 64%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
39

40. Q7: How important are the following factors in providing employees with
applications and devices they use for business purposes?
1 - Extremely unimportant 2 - Somewhat unimportant 3 - Neutral 4 - Somewhat important 5 - Extremely important
100%
90%
25%
36% 32% 34% 34% 33%
80% 40% 43%
70%
60%
39%
50% 38% 35% 36%
36% 36%
34% 29%
40%
30%
20% 28%
21% 24% 23% 23% 25%
20% 22%
10%
5% 5% 5% 4% 5% 5% 4% 6%
0% 2% 2% 1% 2% 1% 3% 2% 2%
Productivity Security Ability to Employee Ease of use Cost savings Control Networking with
complete work satisfaction peers
responsibilities
40

41. Q7: How important are the following factors in providing employees with
applications and devices they use for business purposes?
(Somewhat/Extremely important)
Networking with peers 64%
Control 69%
Cost savings 69%
Ease of use 70%
Employee satisfaction 71%
Ability to complete work responsibilities 72%
Security 72%
Productivity 74%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
41

42. Q8: How important are the following features to your employees
when it comes to accessing and sharing files?
1 - Extremely unimportant 2 - Somewhat unimportant 3 - Neutral 4 - Somewhat important 5 - Extremely important
100%
90%
34% 34% 30%
80% 37%
70%
60%
50% 38%
37% 37%
37%
40%
30%
20% 26%
21% 23% 23%
10%
4% 5% 4% 5%
0% 1% 1% 1% 1%
Ability to access files across Ability to share large files Ability to upload and update files File collaboration
desktops, laptops and mobile in shared workspaces
devices, including personal
devices
42

43. Q8: How important are the following features to your employees
when it comes to accessing and sharing files?
(Somewhat/Extremely important)
File collaboration 68%
Ability to upload and update files in shared workspaces 71%
Ability to share large files 71%
Ability to access files across desktops, laptops and mobile
74%
devices, including personal devices
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
43

44. Q9: What percentage of your employees do you estimate use
personal devices for work or work devices for personal purposes?
40%
39%
39% 39%
38%
37%
36%
35%
Personal
34%
34% Work
33%
33%
32%
31%
30%
29%
Mean Median
44

45. Perceived Problems/Challenges/Risks
45

46. Q10: How familiar are you with how your employees share files
internally and externally?
Extremely familiar 25%
Somewhat familiar 40%
Neutral 25%
Somewhat unfamiliar 7%
Completely unfamiliar 3%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
46

47. Q11: How much of a challenge are the following factors when
considering file access and sharing for your organization?
1 - Extremely small challenge 2 - Somewhat small challenge 3 - Neutral
4 - Somewhat large challenge 5 - Extremely large challenge
100%
12% 10% 9% 10% 8%
12% 14%
90%
80% 27%
29% 29% 26%
34% 31% 31%
70%
60%
50%
35% 42%
40% 41% 45%
38% 37%
37%
30%
20% 17%
14% 16%
13% 13% 15% 13%
10%
6% 10% 7%
5% 5% 5% 6%
0%
Need to secure multiple endpoints mobility of employees,More communication externally increasing devices for work and vice versa
Increasingly complicated security threats partners, and contractors sizes of personal
Increased File Use Organization becoming more distribu
47

48. Q11: How much of a challenge are the following factors when
considering file access and sharing for your organization?
(Somewhat/Extremely large challenge)
Organization becoming more distributed 35%
Use of personal devices for work and vice versa 36%
File sizes increasing 38%
More communication externally 39%
Increased mobility of employees, partners, and contractors 43%
Increasingly complicated security threats 45%
Need to secure multiple endpoints 46%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
48

49. Q12: How would you rate the following IT security risks with regards
to file sharing solutions?
1 - Extremely low risk 2 - Somewhat low risk 3 - Neutral 4 - Somewhat high risk 5 - Extremely high risk
100%
14% 10% 12% 14% 14% 10%
90%
80%
24%
34% 31% 27% 24%
70% 29%
60%
50%
40% 42%
40% 34% 35% 36% 40%
30%
20%
15% 15% 16% 16%
16% 14%
10%
7% 7% 6% 6% 7% 9%
0%
Employees sharing Malware Loss of confidential or Breach of confidential Embarrassment or Violating regulatory
confidential proprietary information damage to rules
information using information brand/reputation
unapproved solutions
49

50. Q12: How would you rate the following IT security risks with regards
to file sharing solutions?
Violating regulatory rules 34%
Embarrassment or damage to brand/reputation 37%
Breach of confidential information 41%
Loss of confidential or proprietary information 43%
Malware 44%
Employees sharing confidential information using unapproved solutions 44%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
50

51. Outcomes
51

52. Q13: Have you implemented internal policies restricting how your
employees can access and share files internally and externally?
In the process of
implementing
18%
Yes
No 57%
25%
52

53. Q14: Consider the following scenario: One of your employees needs to
send a large file to a customer, contractor, or partner (too large for
email). Which of the following might your employees do?
Don't know 5%
Employee searches for and downloads a free file sharing solution 27%
Employee downloads application without input from IT 29%
Employee utilizes IT system in place 33%
Employee uses solution suggested by customer, contractor or
42%
partner
Employee asks IT for help 51%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
53

54. Q15: Consider the following scenario: A customer or partner needs
a large file quickly. An employee is not able to meet the deadline
due to limitations on the organization's file solutions. What are the
potential consequences to your organization?
Litigation costs 14%
Involvement in data collection process for legal action 17%
Reduced stock price 17%
Regulatory fines 18%
Costs to comply with regulations after a data loss or exposure
22%
incident
Loss of organization, customer or employee data 24%
Direct financial cost 31%
Lost revenue 37%
Damaged brand reputation/loss of customer trust 41%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
54