The number of full-time telecommuters, however, is significantly smaller than the number of occasional telecommuters, the study concluded.

"While occasional telecommuters exist at each of the responding organisations, 46 of the 73 respondents employ full-time telecommuters," the report states.

As far as securing hardware, the report states that 85 per cent of organisations indicated they implement at least one of five methods for protecting hardware assets: failed-logon lockout settings on computers, privacy screens, security cables for locking down computers, periodic audits of telecommuters' physical working environments and a "clean-desk policy for telecommuters."

About 20 per cent of the organisations said they conduct periodic inspections of telecommuter remote-work environments, with the frequency rate higher among organisations with greater numbers of telecommuters.

The study noted that stronger security controls, such as biometric authentication and thin-client terminals, have yet to take hold in the telecommuting environment.

"On a more positive note, the use of encryption, while not yet prevalent, is common on hard drives, in securing network connections and even in protecting e-mail messages," the report states.

When it comes to portable devices, wireless networks and Internet downloads, however, the survey found security practices were "often lacking and could lead to the compromise of the personal information that employees handle at home."

More than 70 per cent of the organisations participating in the survey responded that they do some monitoring of telecommuters, most commonly by network monitoring or telecommuter e-mail and Internet use, the report states.

"Based on the results of this survey, many organisations today are not effectively managing the risks to personal information presented by the telecommuting workforce," the report concludes, adding, "Work-from-home arrangements are the next frontier for many companies, and the challenges they pose to privacy and security should be approached with appropriate rigor and resources."