Young tech-savvy workers are more likely to risk computer security systems than their less impulsive older colleagues, an Adelaide researcher says.
A University of Adelaide study into different personality traits and computer behaviours says younger tech-savvy employees are more likely to be impulsive, overconfident and prone to causing a cyber-security breach.
"Younger people are more risky, more vulnerable," senior researcher Malcolm Pattinson told AAP after surveying thousands of employees.
"They won't stand back from a computer and think about what they're about to do."
Dr Pattison said the consequences of an accidental security breach went beyond low-level computer viruses.
"It basically gets down to hackers, identity theft, a leakage of private organisational information," he said.
And this is where older and less tech-savvy workers could be an unsung cyber-security asset.
"Older people tend to think before they act," Dr Pattinson said.
"Now, it doesn't mean you just employ older people. It's not an ad for older people.
"They're just not as arrogant. They perhaps listen to what they've been told by management."
Dr Pattinson has also developed a survey allowing businesses to profile the level of risk different employees pose to computer security systems.
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