One in six employees in the UK believe that social networking websites could pose a risk to corporate security, new research has found.

According to research undertaken by global risk consultancy Protiviti, 28% of UK employees saw sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn as being a risk to their own security, while one in six (17%) also thought they were a risk to corporate security.

The study found that sensitive information or unintentional uploading of Trojans or viruses being uploaded by employees to computers were the main concerns.

Nearly a third (27%) of respondents also said that more should be done to explain to employees the principles of using social media, while 74% of workers between 18-24 years old said they engaged with social networking sites on a daily basis. Only 21% of employees over 55 said the same.

Jonathan Wyatt, managing director of Protiviti, commented: "Opening up access in the workplace to social networks can create long-term benefits, however, there are many risks involved, including information security breaches.

"Social media has provided a new environment for criminals seeking an alternative way to commit fraud and other crimes. Employers must set out clear guidelines to help control information supplied, and which, when shared via social networks, will benefit a company's internal and external image. Having social media guidelines in place allows management to regulate the control of internal and external information by employees. This not only mitigates the risk of reputational loss through error or fraud, but also reduces the likelihood of information being leaked externally."