Clocked off but logged in: Brits’ work laptops now store banking details, passwords and personal accounts

As Brits say the boundaries between work and personal life continue to blur thanks to hybrid working (27%), new research suggests work laptops are increasingly being used for far more than just work, creating new security challenges for large enterprises and SMEs as sensitive business information and personal data increasingly coexist on the same device.

Almost a fifth say they need to access both work and personal information in one place. Over time, this means work laptops are quietly becoming repositories of employees’ entire digital lives.

Research to support the launch of the Galaxy Book 6 Enterprise Edition reveals work laptops now store everything from confidential company documents (63%) to social media accounts (18%) and personal photos (18%), all on a single device.

Despite 84% saying they are aware of the potential risks of using a work laptop for personal activities, 70% admit they do regularly do so outside of working hours for online shopping (37%), holiday planning (24%) and online banking (25%).

In fact, 35% say they use their laptop for non-work activities at least once a week, despite 26% having concerns their boss might find out.

Research also found that 62% use their work laptop to access sensitive client information, meaning a single device often acts as the gateway to valuable business data. Meanwhile, 69% say losing their laptop would be more disruptive than losing their work phone.

Despite this, nearly a third say they save personal emails on their work laptop, while a quarter use autofill for personal accounts. Meanwhile, 71% admit they don’t know whether their work laptop is encrypted.

These habits are creating growing security challenges for employers and employees alike. More than one in five (21%) have shared their work laptop with another member of their household, even though 14% admit they don’t know exactly what personal information is stored on their work laptop.

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Enterprise Edition offers the most comprehensive security offering on a Galaxy Book to date. Featuring Samsung Knox security, a dedicated Secured Embedded Processor (SecEP), optional Intel vPro technology and biometric authentication through Windows Hello and fingerprint recognition, it helps businesses protect sensitive information stored across devices while supporting flexible ways of working.

Annika Bizon, Mobile Experience Vice President of Product and Marketing, Samsung UK & Ireland, said: “For many people, a laptop has become the gateway to both their professional and personal lives. It provides access to company systems, sensitive documents, financial information and personal accounts, all through a single device.

“As laptops continue to play an important role in how we work and live, security has never been more important. Galaxy Book6 Enterprise Edition brings together our strongest security offering on a Galaxy Book to date, helping businesses better protect sensitive information whilst supporting flexible ways of working.”

More than a quarter of Brits admit they have personal accounts permanently logged in on their work laptop, while 54% say their employer would have little visibility over how the device is used outside working hours, highlighting the growing challenge businesses face in understanding where work use ends and personal use begins.