Half of Companies Worldwide Lack Awareness of Cyber Threats
Poster: SySAdmin
Posted on November 26, 2012 at 1:07:01 PM
Half of Companies Worldwide Lack Awareness of Cyber Threats
ABINGDON, England, November 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
58 per cent admit lack of resources in both staffing and improving IT
security
Around 50 per cent of companies globally, and an even greater percentage in the USA
are unaware of, and don't take effective measures against, the most pressing cyber threats
that exist today.
According to a survey conducted by B2B International on behalf of Kaspersky Lab
[http://www.kaspersky.co.uk ], half of companies are not knowledgeable about the potential
security threats they may face. A significant number of key IT specialists surveyed were
not aware of any of the most common cyber threats - including those targeting the
corporate sector, while 31 per cent of respondents admitted they had never heard of any of
the cyber epidemics that recently posed direct threats to their organisations.
A further 58 per cent of the IT professionals surveyed highlighted a lack of resources
into both staffing and improving IT security systems, reducing the organisations ability
to cope with cyber security threats. This was mainly due to poor understanding among
senior managers of the reasons why IT departments exist - that is, their objectives and
the reasoning behind them.
Results from the survey also revealed that 35 per cent of companies have insufficient
numbers of personnel trained to deal with IT threats - an issue particularly prevalent in
North America. However, this problem cannot be dealt with simply by hiring new employees;
existing staff also need to be educated. This is emphasised by the low level of computer
literacy among employees, which can lead to confidential information leakages, and to the
infection - or even total disablement - of a company's IT infrastructure. Therefore
teaching staff the basics of IT security should be no less important than installing the
latest security software.
Commenting on the survey's findings, Eugene Kaspersky, CEO and co-founder of Kaspersky
Lab, said: "Companies shouldn't underestimate global cyber threats. This issue has started
to be taken seriously of late, and businesses have begun to worry, leading to increases in
the number of IT staff working specifically in IT security (now about 40 per cent of IT
staff in companies all around the world). However, IT security staff are not always
sufficiently trained and competent to protect businesses from the most pertinent threats.
This is why our goal, as a leader in the IT security industry, is not only to produce
solutions, but also to raise awareness."
Kaspersky continues: "Increasing the level of computer literacy among staff is an
essential element of security, while senior management needs to be fully aware of the
potential consequences of cyber threats, and understand that reliable protection of the
corporate network is vital in ensuring the effective development of a company's IT
infrastructure. Through our global education projects we promote the importance of IT
security - its importance not only to individual companies, but to whole economies. Cyber
criminals can destroy the normal business environment; they could prevent future global
development and bring on economic and even political collapse. We are here to stop this
happening, and are confident of doing so."
The Global IT Security Risks survey canvassed more than 3,300 senior IT professionals
from 22 countries who influence IT security policy and also have a good grounding in
general business matters. The study gathered their views on the major issues facing the
industry. Respondents represented companies of all sizes from across the globe.
To download the full report on the B2B International survey, please click here
[http://www.kaspersky.com/downloads/pdf/kaspersky_global_it-security-risks-survey_report_eng_final.pdf ]
.
To learn more about the ground-breaking features of Kaspersky Lab's corporate IT
security solutions, please visit http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/beready.
Kaspersky Lab Newsroom
Kaspersky Lab has launched a new online newsroom, Kaspersky Lab Newsroom Europe
(http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en
[https://email.ascentpr.co.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en ]),
for journalists throughout Europe. The newsroom is specifically designed to serve many of
the media's most common requests, making it easier for journalists to find product and
corporate information, facts and figures, editorial copy, images, videos and audio files,
as well as details about the appropriate PR contacts.
About Info-Tech Research Group
With a paid membership of over 29,000 members worldwide, Info-Tech Research Group
(http://www.infotech.com) is the global leader in providing tactical, practical
Information Technology research and analysis. Info-Tech Research Group has a fourteen-year
history of delivering quality research and is North America's fastest growing full-service
IT analyst firm.
About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is the world's largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection
solutions. The company is ranked among the world's top four vendors of security solutions
for endpoint users.* Throughout its 15-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an
innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for consumers,
SMBs and Enterprises. The company currently operates in almost 200 countries across the
globe, providing protection for over 300 million users worldwide. Learn more at
http://www.kaspersky.co.uk. For the latest on antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and
other IT security issues and trends, visit: http://www.securelist.com.
*The company was rated fourth in the IDC rating Worldwide Endpoint Security Revenue by
Vendor, 2010. The rating was published in the IDC report Worldwide IT Security Products
2011-2015 Forecast and 2010 Vendor Shares - December 2011. The report ranked software
vendors according to earnings from sales of endpoint security solutions in 2010.
(c) 2012 Kaspersky Lab. The information contained herein is subject to change without
notice. The only warranties for Kaspersky Lab products and services are set forth in the
express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should
be construed as constituting an additional warranty. Kaspersky Lab shall not be liable for
technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Follow us on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/kasperskyuk
Like us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/Kaspersky
Editorial contact:
Berkeley PR
Carolann Grandison
kasperskylab@berkeleypr.co.uk
Telephone: +44(0)118-909-0909
1650 Arlington Business Park
RG7 4SA, Reading
Kaspersky Lab UK
Ruth Knowles
Ruth.Knowles@kasperskylab.co.uk
Telephone: +44(0)871-789-1633
Milton Business Park
OX14 4RY, Oxford
Kaspersky Lab
ABINGDON, England, November 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
58 per cent admit lack of resources in both staffing and improving IT
security
Around 50 per cent of companies globally, and an even greater percentage in the USA
are unaware of, and don't take effective measures against, the most pressing cyber threats
that exist today.
According to a survey conducted by B2B International on behalf of Kaspersky Lab
[http://www.kaspersky.co.uk ], half of companies are not knowledgeable about the potential
security threats they may face. A significant number of key IT specialists surveyed were
not aware of any of the most common cyber threats - including those targeting the
corporate sector, while 31 per cent of respondents admitted they had never heard of any of
the cyber epidemics that recently posed direct threats to their organisations.
A further 58 per cent of the IT professionals surveyed highlighted a lack of resources
into both staffing and improving IT security systems, reducing the organisations ability
to cope with cyber security threats. This was mainly due to poor understanding among
senior managers of the reasons why IT departments exist - that is, their objectives and
the reasoning behind them.
Results from the survey also revealed that 35 per cent of companies have insufficient
numbers of personnel trained to deal with IT threats - an issue particularly prevalent in
North America. However, this problem cannot be dealt with simply by hiring new employees;
existing staff also need to be educated. This is emphasised by the low level of computer
literacy among employees, which can lead to confidential information leakages, and to the
infection - or even total disablement - of a company's IT infrastructure. Therefore
teaching staff the basics of IT security should be no less important than installing the
latest security software.
Commenting on the survey's findings, Eugene Kaspersky, CEO and co-founder of Kaspersky
Lab, said: "Companies shouldn't underestimate global cyber threats. This issue has started
to be taken seriously of late, and businesses have begun to worry, leading to increases in
the number of IT staff working specifically in IT security (now about 40 per cent of IT
staff in companies all around the world). However, IT security staff are not always
sufficiently trained and competent to protect businesses from the most pertinent threats.
This is why our goal, as a leader in the IT security industry, is not only to produce
solutions, but also to raise awareness."
Kaspersky continues: "Increasing the level of computer literacy among staff is an
essential element of security, while senior management needs to be fully aware of the
potential consequences of cyber threats, and understand that reliable protection of the
corporate network is vital in ensuring the effective development of a company's IT
infrastructure. Through our global education projects we promote the importance of IT
security - its importance not only to individual companies, but to whole economies. Cyber
criminals can destroy the normal business environment; they could prevent future global
development and bring on economic and even political collapse. We are here to stop this
happening, and are confident of doing so."
The Global IT Security Risks survey canvassed more than 3,300 senior IT professionals
from 22 countries who influence IT security policy and also have a good grounding in
general business matters. The study gathered their views on the major issues facing the
industry. Respondents represented companies of all sizes from across the globe.
To download the full report on the B2B International survey, please click here
[http://www.kaspersky.com/downloads/pdf/kaspersky_global_it-security-risks-survey_report_eng_final.pdf ]
.
To learn more about the ground-breaking features of Kaspersky Lab's corporate IT
security solutions, please visit http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/beready.
Kaspersky Lab Newsroom
Kaspersky Lab has launched a new online newsroom, Kaspersky Lab Newsroom Europe
(http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en
[https://email.ascentpr.co.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://newsroom.kaspersky.eu/en ]),
for journalists throughout Europe. The newsroom is specifically designed to serve many of
the media's most common requests, making it easier for journalists to find product and
corporate information, facts and figures, editorial copy, images, videos and audio files,
as well as details about the appropriate PR contacts.
About Info-Tech Research Group
With a paid membership of over 29,000 members worldwide, Info-Tech Research Group
(http://www.infotech.com) is the global leader in providing tactical, practical
Information Technology research and analysis. Info-Tech Research Group has a fourteen-year
history of delivering quality research and is North America's fastest growing full-service
IT analyst firm.
About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is the world's largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection
solutions. The company is ranked among the world's top four vendors of security solutions
for endpoint users.* Throughout its 15-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an
innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for consumers,
SMBs and Enterprises. The company currently operates in almost 200 countries across the
globe, providing protection for over 300 million users worldwide. Learn more at
http://www.kaspersky.co.uk. For the latest on antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and
other IT security issues and trends, visit: http://www.securelist.com.
*The company was rated fourth in the IDC rating Worldwide Endpoint Security Revenue by
Vendor, 2010. The rating was published in the IDC report Worldwide IT Security Products
2011-2015 Forecast and 2010 Vendor Shares - December 2011. The report ranked software
vendors according to earnings from sales of endpoint security solutions in 2010.
(c) 2012 Kaspersky Lab. The information contained herein is subject to change without
notice. The only warranties for Kaspersky Lab products and services are set forth in the
express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should
be construed as constituting an additional warranty. Kaspersky Lab shall not be liable for
technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Follow us on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/kasperskyuk
Like us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/Kaspersky
Editorial contact:
Berkeley PR
Carolann Grandison
kasperskylab@berkeleypr.co.uk
Telephone: +44(0)118-909-0909
1650 Arlington Business Park
RG7 4SA, Reading
Kaspersky Lab UK
Ruth Knowles
Ruth.Knowles@kasperskylab.co.uk
Telephone: +44(0)871-789-1633
Milton Business Park
OX14 4RY, Oxford
Kaspersky Lab