Desktop search tools seen raising red flags

摘要

Instant messaging products crept onto corporate PCs and introduced a host of security regulatory and management issues. In the same way, free desktop search tools — designed for consumers — are showing up on corporate networks and raising concerns about data protection. Desktop search tools use local processing power to locate items inside e-mail and data stores. Three of the most popular are available for free from Google, MSN and Yahoo. Most industry watchers agree the products aid productivity: From a single interface, users can quickly search the text of their e-mail, contacts, application documents, data files, multimedia files and more.