1 in 5 professionals will illegally download GoT finale at work

The use of work computers for entertainment services is proving challenging for IT departments. This comes as a survey finds 1 in 5 professionals will illegally download the current season of Game of Thrones and Avengers: Endgame on their work computers.

Snow Software, supplier of Software Asset Management products and services, conducted a survey of 3,000 people around the globe (which included 1,000 U.S. adults) in relation to the use of work devices for services other than work-related applications. The survey found that 1 in 5 plan to illegally download the current season of Game of Thrones and Avengers: Endgame. And 52 percent have downloaded a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu on their work device.

The survey also revealed other statistics of interest, which will prove challenging for Information Technology departments. The survey discovered that worldwide, 60% percent of avid Game of Thrones followers are prepared to watch the show on their work device. Asked how they were considering watching the television blockbuster, respondents indicated that 53 percent will watch through an official on-demand streaming service like HBO Go; 37 percent will watch through their cable subscription; and 18 percent will use Slingbox or another mirroring service.

Additionally, almost two-thirds (66 percent) of professionals plan to watch Avengers: Endgame. Of those professionals who plan to watch the final Avengers installment, almost 20 percent will torrent the movie. Those who do not plan to illegally download the movie will go see the film at a cinema (47 percent of respondent); watch it at home through a rental service (24 percent of those surveyed); or watch the superhero epic using Slingbox or another mirroring service (16 percent).

While these viewing habits provide an interesting insight into how digital entertainment content is accessed, several of the options present challenges to IT departments. To manage employee behavior and encourage proper device usage, Snow Software's Ciri Haugh recommends that employers re-emphasize security awareness to communicate risks such as browser hijacking, ransomware and malicious software downloads. This helps ensure people have been educated about what is appropriate and what crosses the line.

A second step is for IT departments to boost monitoring the estate and tracking activity. A third step is to implement active controls at the network perimeter or with an anti-virus vendor to try and prevent malicious downloads or employees visiting known piracy sites.