IT contractors working on network security should advise firms that their staff should have full training on etiquette for using social media.

This is the view of Robert Stroud, the international vice-president of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (Isaca), who said that social media sites can pose a danger to corporate data.

A recent study from Isaca found that 62 per cent of businesses felt that the security threat from sites such as Twitter and Facebook is medium to high.

Mr Stroud says the only way for enterprises to tackle this is to educate staff on the consequences of their actions.

"Although social media provides a new entry point for technology risks such as malware and viruses, these risks are lowered when employees have an increased understanding of the impacts of their risky behaviour," he explained.

Companies should therefore set clear guidelines on etiquette for social media usage and how employees can protect the integrity of corporate data.