Research by AVG shows that although most small businesses understand the need to protect their IT systems, fewer are willing to put it into practice. Out of 2000 SMBs surveyed in the US and UK for the "SMB Landscape Report", more than half (52%) have no IT security guidelines for their staff, while 1 in 7 have no Internet security software or solutions in place at all.
Managing Cyber Risk: Are Companies Safeguarding Their Assets?EMC
This white paper summarizes the results of a survey done by RSA, NYSE Governance Series, and Corporate Board Member, in association with Ernst & Young, with 200 audit committee members responding on a variety of issues regarding their cyber risk oversight program.
Cyber-criminals are assaulting every part of the enterprise. But not all cyber-attacks are created equal. In the minds of senior executives, the greatest danger of cyber-attacks is damage to the reputation of the firm with its customers.
Metrics & Reporting - A Failure in CommunicationChris Ross
Wisegate recently conducted a research initiative to assess the current state of security risks and controls in business today. One of the key takeaways? A concerning lack of metrics and reporting on the subject. While CISOs claim to be improving corporate security all the time, there is little ability to measure that success. In this Drill-Down report, Wisegate uncovers where most organizations stand when it comes to metrics and reporting, and how it is affecting their businesses on the whole.
In January-February 2016, the EIU, surveyed 1,100 senior executives on data security practices within their firms. The survey’s primary objective was to analyse the differences, if any, between the C-suite and senior IT executives on data security.
The survey sample was recruited from companies with between $500 million and $10 billion in revenues, and is equally representative of the Americas, Asia-Pacific and European regions. The panel came from 20 industries, with no single industry accounting for more than 14% of the total.
This was a survey of senior executives. The C-suite segment, sometimes referred to herein as senior management or corporate leadership, consisted exclusively of C-suite executives (eg CEOs, CFO, COOs). The security segment, sometimes referred to herein as the security executives, consisted of the CIO and those who identified themselves as Chief Data Officers or Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs).
Each panel was asked an identical set of 20 questions, and the results have been reviewed for insight and commentary by a panel of independent experts.
Digital has increased businesses’ cybersecurity risk – and yet few have elevated security to a senior leadership concern, according to our recent research. Here’s what businesses are thinking about cybersecurity, and a framework for strengthening their security strategies.
Managing Cyber Risk: Are Companies Safeguarding Their Assets?EMC
This white paper summarizes the results of a survey done by RSA, NYSE Governance Series, and Corporate Board Member, in association with Ernst & Young, with 200 audit committee members responding on a variety of issues regarding their cyber risk oversight program.
Cyber-criminals are assaulting every part of the enterprise. But not all cyber-attacks are created equal. In the minds of senior executives, the greatest danger of cyber-attacks is damage to the reputation of the firm with its customers.
Metrics & Reporting - A Failure in CommunicationChris Ross
Wisegate recently conducted a research initiative to assess the current state of security risks and controls in business today. One of the key takeaways? A concerning lack of metrics and reporting on the subject. While CISOs claim to be improving corporate security all the time, there is little ability to measure that success. In this Drill-Down report, Wisegate uncovers where most organizations stand when it comes to metrics and reporting, and how it is affecting their businesses on the whole.
In January-February 2016, the EIU, surveyed 1,100 senior executives on data security practices within their firms. The survey’s primary objective was to analyse the differences, if any, between the C-suite and senior IT executives on data security.
The survey sample was recruited from companies with between $500 million and $10 billion in revenues, and is equally representative of the Americas, Asia-Pacific and European regions. The panel came from 20 industries, with no single industry accounting for more than 14% of the total.
This was a survey of senior executives. The C-suite segment, sometimes referred to herein as senior management or corporate leadership, consisted exclusively of C-suite executives (eg CEOs, CFO, COOs). The security segment, sometimes referred to herein as the security executives, consisted of the CIO and those who identified themselves as Chief Data Officers or Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs).
Each panel was asked an identical set of 20 questions, and the results have been reviewed for insight and commentary by a panel of independent experts.
Digital has increased businesses’ cybersecurity risk – and yet few have elevated security to a senior leadership concern, according to our recent research. Here’s what businesses are thinking about cybersecurity, and a framework for strengthening their security strategies.
Sharing the blame: How companies are collaborating on data security breaches, is an Economist Intelligence Unit research project, sponsored by Akamai Technologies, exploring the ways in which organisations are collaborating to deal with the disclosure of data security breaches. How are they co-operating with governments, other companies and third parties in areas such as requirements for the public disclosure of such breaches? Do they have consistent cyber security policies? To what extent are they sharing best practices?
These slides--based on the webinar from leading IT research firm Enterprise Management Associates (EMA)--reveal the current state of enterprise security readiness within the context of security management tools, issues, and practices.
Assessing and Managing IT Security RisksChris Ross
Data privacy and protection has become the gold standard in IT. Scale Venture Partners and Wisegate share what they learned from over 100 IT professionals questioned about the risks and technology trends driving their security programs. Read about the move towards data centric security and the need for improvement in automated security controls and metrics reporting.
Learn how an integrated approach, strategic reach and measurement systems of Influencers point to a new kind of security organization and a new breed of leader. For more information on IBM Systems, visit http://ibm.co/RKEeMO.
Visit the official Scribd Channel of IBM India Smarter Computing at http://bit.ly/VwO86R to get access to more documents.
In the cyber world, many are attacked but not all are victims. Some organisations emerge stronger. The most cyber-resilient organisations can respond to an incident, fix the vulnerabilities and apply the lessons to strategies for the future. A key element of their resilience is governance, a task that falls to the board of directors.
To learn more about the challenges of governing a cyber-resilient organisation, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) conducted a global survey, sponsored by Willis Towers Watson, of 452 large-company board members, C-suite executives and directors with responsibility for cyber-resilience.
Among the findings:
-In the past year, a third of the companies surveyed experienced a serious cyber-incident — one that disrupted operations, impaired financials and damaged reputations — and most placed high odds on another one in the next 12 months.
-Many companies lack confidence in their ability to source talent and develop a cyber-savvy workforce.
-Executives cite the size of the financial and reputational risk as the most important reason for board oversight.
Despite having been one of the first industries to use data processing on a large scale, insurers have acquired a reputation of lagging technologically over the past decades. However, recent innovations around Big Data and analytics allow insurers to reassert themselves as leaders.
To gain greater insight into future changes in the insurance industry, the EIU surveyed over 300 executives at life and property/casualty insurers.
In September 2019, Unbound Tech surveyed 500 members of the Cyber Security Competency Group
(CSCG), a group of cybersecurity professionals (analysts, engineers, and architects) from different industries across North America. The survey addressed cryptographic key management and certificate management practices.
All product and company names mentioned herein are for identification and educational purposes only and are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners.
The Exploring Consumer Attitudes & Actions on Key Tech Policy Issues 2014 study reveals a majority of respondents (59 percent) said either privacy or security had the biggest potential impact on their personal lives. This concern has led as many respondents (59 percent) to say they would take action related to security and privacy issues.
Conducted by Edelman Berland, the survey polled more than 1,000 U.S. consumers over the age of 18 to better understand their attitudes about major technology policy issues and their willingness to take action and engage in the political process on these issues.
Learn more: http://edl.mn/UGx2Ho
Corporate treasury is now a top target for cyber-criminals. Treasury’s trove of personal and corporate data, its authority to make payments and move large amounts of cash quickly, and its often complicated structure make it an appealing choice for discerning fraudsters.
Инвестиционный проект строительства в ТурцииAvalon
Согласно данному инвестиционному проекту предлагается либо покупка, либо соинвестирование (на усмотрение инвестора) строительства элитного малоэтажного комплекса Alanya Beach Resort в Турции с развитой инфраструктурой на территории района Махмутлар, регион Алания. Все представленные материалы и краткие параметры проекта были предоставлены и согласованы при участии владельца строительной компании и генерального архитектора Махмутлара.
Sharing the blame: How companies are collaborating on data security breaches, is an Economist Intelligence Unit research project, sponsored by Akamai Technologies, exploring the ways in which organisations are collaborating to deal with the disclosure of data security breaches. How are they co-operating with governments, other companies and third parties in areas such as requirements for the public disclosure of such breaches? Do they have consistent cyber security policies? To what extent are they sharing best practices?
These slides--based on the webinar from leading IT research firm Enterprise Management Associates (EMA)--reveal the current state of enterprise security readiness within the context of security management tools, issues, and practices.
Assessing and Managing IT Security RisksChris Ross
Data privacy and protection has become the gold standard in IT. Scale Venture Partners and Wisegate share what they learned from over 100 IT professionals questioned about the risks and technology trends driving their security programs. Read about the move towards data centric security and the need for improvement in automated security controls and metrics reporting.
Learn how an integrated approach, strategic reach and measurement systems of Influencers point to a new kind of security organization and a new breed of leader. For more information on IBM Systems, visit http://ibm.co/RKEeMO.
Visit the official Scribd Channel of IBM India Smarter Computing at http://bit.ly/VwO86R to get access to more documents.
In the cyber world, many are attacked but not all are victims. Some organisations emerge stronger. The most cyber-resilient organisations can respond to an incident, fix the vulnerabilities and apply the lessons to strategies for the future. A key element of their resilience is governance, a task that falls to the board of directors.
To learn more about the challenges of governing a cyber-resilient organisation, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) conducted a global survey, sponsored by Willis Towers Watson, of 452 large-company board members, C-suite executives and directors with responsibility for cyber-resilience.
Among the findings:
-In the past year, a third of the companies surveyed experienced a serious cyber-incident — one that disrupted operations, impaired financials and damaged reputations — and most placed high odds on another one in the next 12 months.
-Many companies lack confidence in their ability to source talent and develop a cyber-savvy workforce.
-Executives cite the size of the financial and reputational risk as the most important reason for board oversight.
Despite having been one of the first industries to use data processing on a large scale, insurers have acquired a reputation of lagging technologically over the past decades. However, recent innovations around Big Data and analytics allow insurers to reassert themselves as leaders.
To gain greater insight into future changes in the insurance industry, the EIU surveyed over 300 executives at life and property/casualty insurers.
In September 2019, Unbound Tech surveyed 500 members of the Cyber Security Competency Group
(CSCG), a group of cybersecurity professionals (analysts, engineers, and architects) from different industries across North America. The survey addressed cryptographic key management and certificate management practices.
All product and company names mentioned herein are for identification and educational purposes only and are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners.
The Exploring Consumer Attitudes & Actions on Key Tech Policy Issues 2014 study reveals a majority of respondents (59 percent) said either privacy or security had the biggest potential impact on their personal lives. This concern has led as many respondents (59 percent) to say they would take action related to security and privacy issues.
Conducted by Edelman Berland, the survey polled more than 1,000 U.S. consumers over the age of 18 to better understand their attitudes about major technology policy issues and their willingness to take action and engage in the political process on these issues.
Learn more: http://edl.mn/UGx2Ho
Corporate treasury is now a top target for cyber-criminals. Treasury’s trove of personal and corporate data, its authority to make payments and move large amounts of cash quickly, and its often complicated structure make it an appealing choice for discerning fraudsters.
Инвестиционный проект строительства в ТурцииAvalon
Согласно данному инвестиционному проекту предлагается либо покупка, либо соинвестирование (на усмотрение инвестора) строительства элитного малоэтажного комплекса Alanya Beach Resort в Турции с развитой инфраструктурой на территории района Махмутлар, регион Алания. Все представленные материалы и краткие параметры проекта были предоставлены и согласованы при участии владельца строительной компании и генерального архитектора Махмутлара.
Avalon Investment&Management - лидирующая российская компания, успешно реализующая инвестиционные проекты как на территории России, так и за рубежом. Сферой деятельности нашей компании является строительство, девелопмент и реализация объектов недвижимого имущества, включая полный комплекс профессиональных риэлторских услуг.
Одним из основных направлений нашей работы являются рынки недвижимости Турции, Испании, Италии, Черногории и Финляндии, где сервис нашей компании распространяется далеко за рамки сделки по приобретению жилья. Мы готовы сопровождать владельцев недвижимости за рубежом в решении любых вопросов связанных с дальнейшим проживанием и владением собственностью.
Challenges and opportunities for European MSPsKaspersky
With ongoing digital transformation and transition to cloud infrastructure, outsourcing of IT services and IT security in particular is on the rise. To get a better picture of current challenges and opportunities for Manages Service Providers (MSPs) across Europe, our experts conducted a survey of European MSP employees from the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Sweden, and Denmark. From this survey as well as the analytics of our annual online survey of business IT decision-makers, “Kaspersky Corporate IT Security and Risks Survey 2019,” they compiled “Maintaining MSP Momentum: Challenges and opportunities in an evolving IT security landscape.”
How close is your organization to being breached | Safe SecurityRahul Tyagi
Traditional methods are certainly limited in
their capabilities and this is easily proven by
the multitude of breaches businesses were a
victim of, across the globe. The 2020 Q3 Data
Breach QuickView Report revealed that the
number of records exposed in 2020 has
increased to 36 billion globally. The report
stated that there were 2,953 publicly
reported breaches in the first three quarters
of 2020 itself! 2020 is already named the
“worst year on record” by the end of Q2 in
terms of the total number of records
exposed. With the growing sophistication of
cyber-attacks and global damages related
to cybercrime reaching $6 trillion by 2021, we
need a solution that simplifies
cybersecurity.
To know more about breach probability visit : www.safe.security
It is never possible to guarantee that a company is totally secure or that a breach will not occur, however implementing the latest tools and providing ongoing, end-user education will minimize those risks and allow companies to focus more on growing their business rather than repairing it.
IT Solutions for 3 Common Small Business ProblemsBrooke Bordelon
Many time consuming IT problems can be side-stepped by establishing a solid network from the get-go rather than playing catch up with problems as they arise..find out how with these IT solutions.
Protecting Corporate Information in the CloudSymantec
Keeping Your Data Safe: Protecting Corporate Information in the Cloud is an insights-driven thought leadership study conducted by WSJ. Custom Studios in collaboration with Symantec Corporation. The goal of this research is to better understand worldwide cloud adoption across leading organizations and the challenges associated with its use. This survey also explores attitudes toward security as well as the behaviors that can lead to potential data loss and security breaches.
An online survey was conducted from February to March 2015 among 360 global business and IT executives with 180 respondents from the United States, 60 from the United Kingdom, 60 from Germany and 60 from Japan. Of these, 15% are CEOs, presidents or owners; 14% are CIOs/CTOs/CSOs; 5% are other C-level executives; 13% are heads of business units or EVPs/VPs/directors; 23% are IT/security professionals; and 30% are managers or other business professionals (e.g., engineering, research and development, sales, legal and compliance, etc.).
What trends will 2018 bring for Business Continuity Professionals?PECB
Many business continuity practitioners are perceiving a higher level of risk than ever before in their careers. Unfortunately, these risks are more often resulting in real incidents which require emergency response and continuity of operations. Being prepared may be the most important thing an organization can do in 2018. But what should we prepare for, and how should we prepare for it? This discussion will walk through some of the emerging threats concepts, tools, and techniques that business continuity professionals can expect to see more of in 2018.
Main points covered:
- What should we prepare for in 2018?
- How should we prepare?
- The emerging threats, concepts, tools, and techniques expected in 2018
- Emerging threats creating new risks
Presenter:
David Feeney, CPP, PMP has 17 years of security industry experience assisting organizations with risk management matters specific to physical, personnel, and cyber security. He has 9 years of experience with service providers and 8 years of experience within enterprise security organizations. David has worked with industry leaders in the energy, technology, healthcare, and real estate sectors. Areas of specialization include Security Operations Center design and management, Security Systems design and implementation, and Enterprise Risk Management. David holds leadership positions in ASIS International and is also a member of the InfraGard FBI program. David holds Certification Protection Professional (CPP) and Project Management Professional (PMP) certifications.
Andrea LeStarge, MS has over ten years of experience in program management, risk analysis and curriculum development. Being specialized in Homeland Security, Andrea leverages her experience in formerly managing projects to support various Federal Government entities in identifying, detecting and responding to man-made, natural and cyber incidents. She has an established track record in recognizing security gaps and corrective risk mitigation options, while effectively communicating findings to stakeholders, private sector owners and operators, and first-responder personnel within tactical, operational and strategic levels. Overall, Andrea encompasses analytical tradecraft and demonstrates consistent, repeatable and defensible methodologies pertaining to risk and the elements of threat, vulnerability and consequence.
Organizer: Nevila Muka
Date: January 17, 2018
Link to the recorded webinar:
Most security breaches are caused by human error and poor security discipline. For instance, in April 2011, it was discovered that the personal and confidential data of 3.5 million teachers, state workers and retirees in the state of Texas was lying unprotected on the Internet closely for a year.
MEF Global Consumer Trust Report.
The study explores the key areas of trust, privacy, transparency and security to identify their impact on mobile consumers globally from purchasing a new device to downloading apps or paying for goods and services.
2. 2
1. Executive Summary
2. Methodology
3. Market Overview: SMBs: a highly fragmented sector
4. Theme 1: SMBs ARE emerging successfully from the recent economic
downturn AND are positive about the future
5. Theme 2: TECHNOLOGY is critical to the business, but SMBs don’t have the
expertise to manage it
6. Theme 3: SMBs are ready to deploy new technologies and move into the
‘cloud’
7. Theme 4: SMBs are concerned about IT security but aren’t always aware of
or fully protected against the threats that exist
8. Theme 5: Peace of mind, performance and reassurance are top priorities
for SMBs when considering security solutions
9. Conclusions
Contents
3. 1
Executive Summary
AVG recently partnered with GfK to undertake an international survey among SMBs. The results
identified that SMBs are optimistic for the future as they emerge from a difficult economic period. SMBs
are increasingly relying on technology to overcome the challenges of the recession and recognize the
importance of protecting this technology from outside threats. However many are unaware of the range
of IT security threats and require expertise to help them secure success.
Five main themes resulted from the research:
1. SMBs ARE emerging successfully from the recent economic downturn AND are
positive about the future
SMBs have responded to the challenge of economic recession through innovation, adopting
new technologies and working practices and ensuring their businesses are lean. More than 2 in 3
businesses are expecting to expand in the next 5 years.
2. TECHNOLOGY is critical to the business, but SMBs don’t have the expertise to
manage it
Over three quarters feel IT is critical to their business and more than 2 in 3 see it as key to driving
business success. However, only 39% have employees with a high level of IT competence and more
than half have no access to IT expertise.
3. SMBs are ready to deploy new technologies and move into the‘cloud’
Currently, 1 in 7 businesses are using hosted services, but there appears to a high potential for
further adoption, with 67% considering using cloud services in the future.
4. SMBs are concerned about IT security but aren’t always aware of or fully
protected against the threats that exist
77% recognise that a security breach could have a significant impact on their business and 83% feel
that having the right level of protection is critical to their business. Yet less than half have a clear
security policy in place and 1 in 7 businesses have no IT security protection.
5. Peace of mind, performance and reassurance are top priorities for SMBs when
considering security solutions
Universally SMBs want security solutions to deliver the right level of protection and not impact on
business performance. The vast majority of SMBs (88%) also want the reassurance of a trusted brand
to deliver this.
4. 2
Methodology
GfK conducted a global survey of small and medium businesses (SMB), defined as companies with up to
100 employees who use at least one PC.
The Survey consisted of two phases:
Phase 1 – a detailed investigation of SMB security software purchasing attitudes and behaviours. Twenty
in-depth one-on-one interviews with SMBs in Brazil, China, Italy and US conducted end 2009.
Phase 2 – quantitative exploration of the SMB IT security software market landscape. 2000 online
interviews conducted in US and UK in spring 2010.
Individual respondents were senior business decision makers responsible for IT purchasing.
5. 3
Market overview SMBs: A highly fragmented sector
The SMB sector is highly fragmented and dominated by single person (SOHO) and small (2-5 employee)
organisations. The SMB umbrella covers a broad spectrum of businesses with unique identities operating
in a wide range of industries.
IT spend in this sector is high, particularly in the UK where spend is higher than in the US.
Figure 1: UK and US SMB size of business (employees)
UK: Size of Business
42%
37%
13%
5%
2% 1%
1 2-5 6-10 11-25 26-50 51-100
US: Size of Business
33% 32%
19%
9%
4% 3%
1 2-5 6-10 11-25 26-50 51-100
6. 4
The research among SMBs identified five main themes
1) SMBs ARE emerging successfully from the recent economic
downturn AND are positive about the future
SMBs have responded to the challenge of economic recession through innovation, adopting new
technologies and working practices and ensuring their businesses are lean. This includes improving
technology efficiency, migrating to digital technologies, developing e-commerce solutions and offering
new products and services to customers. Budgets are becoming more streamlined and there is a
heightened need to demonstrate greater value and a positive return on investment.
SMBs are embracing flexible working with a larger remote worker base and expansion of the role/job
function of remote employees. Employees are also increasing levels of mobility. In order to maximise
efficiencyandminimisecost,manySMBsareadoptingvirtualisationtechnologiessuchascloudcomputing
as well as investing in the latest hardware.
Those most confident of success are proud of their close working relationships with their customers which
they believe helps them to maintain a competitive advantage over larger companies.
“Anyonecansellbutnoteveryonehasthegoodwilltogotheextramile”(BrazilSMB)
“Someofourlargerclientskeepcomingbackbecausetheyliketheattentiontheyget. Theygetaverypersonalised
service”(USSMB)
Some view the recent downturn as“less of a threat”and“more of an opportunity to evaluate the direction
of the business”which typifies the positive attitude of the SMB decision maker.
“It’saslowperiodatthemoment[2009]butitgivesustimeouttothink6monthstoayearaheadandseehow
thingsaregoingtoaffectus”(USSMB)
7. 5
As a result, the majority of SMBs now feel that they have emerged from the economic crisis in a stronger
position with more than two thirds predicting growth in the next five years. SMBs in the US are particularly
positive.
Figure 2: SMB expectations of future growth in the next five years
29% 36%
23%
67% 61%
74%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Total UK US
Achieved Growth
Remained a Similar Size
Downsized
8. 6
2) IT is critical to the business, but SMBs don’t have the
expertise to manage it
Over three quarters of SMBs view IT as critical to the business and more than two thirds see it as key to
driving business success. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given their higher overall spend on IT, UK SMBs are more
likely to view technology as a strategic driver for their business than their US counterparts.
Figure 3: SMB Attitudes to technology (% agree)
Despite the importance of IT to SMBs a majority do not have employees with a high level of IT competence
or a clear IT strategy; in fact, only 13% have dedicated in-house resources and over half have no access to
IT resources whatsoever. This is consistent in both the US and UK and among all industry sectors.
Figure 4: SMB IT resources
SMBs themselves recognise this gap in knowledge and admit
to needing expert help and support for IT decision making.
“Whenthereisnoproblemwedon’tthinkaboutit.It’sonlywhen
thereisaproblemthatpeoplewillthinkaboutit”(ChinaSMB)
“IhavelimitedexperiencesoItrustmyITconsultants,Ihavebeen
workingwiththemfor10years”(ItalianSMB)
61%
77%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
I view IT as key to driving
business success
IT is critical to the day to day
functioning of my business
56%
13%
31%
Outsourced
In-house resources
No dedicated
resources
9. 7
3) SMBs are ready to deploy new technologies and move into
the‘cloud’
As already noted, SMBs are generally innovative and open to change and as such, are keen to embrace and
deploy new technologies. SMBs are particularly open to using hosted services. Currently 1 in 7 are using
‘cloud’services but two thirds are considering using in the future.
A contributing factor to this demand for hosted services is that the vast majority of SMBs do not have
internal IT resources. They are therefore keen to embrace any offering which makes IT easier to manage
and use. Price is also a key consideration.
Figure 5: Hosted services
59%
53%
38%
34%
15%
Web Hosting
Email Hosting
Online Back Up
Free Services such as Google
Docs
Security Services
Type of Hosted Services Used
50%
47%
44%
36%
33%
Easier to Maintain
Price
Easier to Use
Better Support
Greater Memory Capacity
Reason for Choosing Hosted Services
10. 8
4) SMBs are concerned about IT security but aren’t always aware
of or fully protected against the threats that exist
The vast majority of SMB decision makers want to protect their businesses effectively from security
breaches and believe that the right level of protection is critical to their business. Three quarters recognise
that a security breach could have a significant impact on their business. Despite this strong belief, less than
half have a clear security policy in place and many do not feel confident in making IT security decisions
themselves.
Figure 6: Attitudes to IT security software services
SMBs are aware of the many different ways security breaches can impact their businesses and their biggest
concern is losing access to files.
“It’snotsomuchconcernswithvirusesbutmoreaboutahackergettinginandretrievinginformationtheyweren’t
supposedtoknow”(USSMB)
83%
77%
55%
48%
Having the right level of IT
protection is critical for my
business
An IT security threat could have
a significant impact on my
business
We are confident in making IT
security services decisions in-
house without third party
influence
We have a clear IT security policy
(for our employees) within our
business
11. 9
Figure 7: SMB security concerns
When it comes to the importance of security, many speak from experience:
“Wehadavirusbreachlastsummerthatwreakedhavoc. Itwascompletelyourfault”(ItalianSMB)
A quarter of SMBs have been subject to a security breach. Typically this is among larger organisations
with networks and dedicated IT support functions. Despite their high awareness of the potential damage
security breaches can cause, surprisingly 1 in 7 SMBs do not have any security software installed, leaving
their business open to potential attacks.
1 in 4 have experienced a security breach
1 in 7 have no security software
63%64%
70%
77%
86%
Losing customer
information
Losing access to
software programs
Computer slowing
down
Having to replace
corrupted
hardware
computers etc.
Losing access to
files
saved on the hard
drive
12. 10
Figure 8: Security threats SMBs are aware of
79%
70%
49%
12%
11%
Viruses
Spyware Adware / Advertising
Trojans
Internet Based Attacks
Social Engineering
Not aware of specific threats /
None
The main reasons for not using security software include it being too expensive and a lack of awareness of
the need to protect their business, which may be due to SMBs lack of IT expertise and access to resources .
SMBs are also lacking in knowledge and awareness when it comes to specific IT security threats;1 in 10
SMBs are unaware of any threat. For the remainder, awareness of threats other than Viruses and Spyware
is low.
Worryingly, only half of SMBs are concerned about internet based attacks. This is likely to have
consequences in the future as SMBs increase their reliance on the internet and cloud based services. This
lack of awareness is even more pronounced when it comes to more sophisticated forms of attack such as
Social Engineering (the manipulation of individuals into divulging confidential information).
13. 11
5) Peace of mind, performance and reassurance are top
priorities for SMBs when considering IT security solutions
SMBs are remarkably consistent in terms of their requirements for Security solutions. They want IT
security solutions to:
99 Deliver the right level of protection
99 Not impact on business performance
99 Work in the background
“Securitymeanskeepingspamemailout,stoppingpeopledownloadingprogramsthathavevirusesinthem,
keepingournetworksafe”(USSMB)
“Securitymeansourdataisprotected”(ItalianSMB)
Figure 9: SMB priorities for security software performance (% essential/very important)
There is an expectation from almost all SMBs that a well known security software brand should be able to
meet their requirements. Consequently brand reputation carries considerable weight when it comes to
purchase decision making.
“Everybodywasrecommendingitsothat’swhyIdecidedtobuyit”(ItalianSMB)
77%
72%
70%
63%
55%
36%
Delivers a high level of
protection
Does not slow the
computer(s) down
Works in the background
Scans the computer quickly
Quick and easy to install
Is from a well known brand
14. 12
Conclusions
ƒƒSMBs are generally very adept at adopting change into their businesses and the recent economic
difficulties have opened up opportunities for new innovation and improving business processes. Two
thirds of businesses are optimistic about experiencing growth in the next five years.
ƒƒSMBs view IT as essential but as these organisations tends to be small (with the vast majority having
less than 5 employees) many do not have clear IT strategies to help support the growth of the
organisation. The level of IT expertise is often limited so SMBs either actively seek external help or
tend to take a laissez faire attitude.
ƒƒCloud solutions therefore appear to be an attractive prospect for SMBs given that the vast majority do
not have internal IT resources and are frequently looking for IT solutions which are easier to manage
and offer high value for low cost.
ƒƒThe vast majority of SMB decision makers want to protect their businesses effectively from security
breaches. However most SMBs are unaware and consequently unprotected from the range of internet
based threats that exist. Furthermore, a small proportion of SMBs have no protection whatsoever.
ƒƒSMBs desire a trusted IT security solutions brand. This needs to protect their business and run in the
background and not slow business systems while preventing security breaches.
15. 13
About GfK NOP
GfK NOP Ltd is part of the GfK Group and a leading market research agency in the UK and internationally.
It is a renowned supplier of market information and insight, offering sector specialists and best-in-field
research for qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic, omnibus and online research services.
About AVG
AVG Technologies is a global security software maker protecting more than 110 million consumers and
small businesses in 167 countries from the ever-growing incidence of Web threats, viruses, spam, cyber-
scams and hackers on the Internet. AVG has nearly two decades of experience in combating cyber crime
and one of the most advanced laboratories for detecting, pre-empting and combating Web-borne threats
fromaroundtheworld.AVGhasnearly6,000resellers,partnersanddistributorsgloballyincludingAmazon.
com, CNET, Cisco, Ingram Micro, Play.com, Wal-Mart, and Yahoo!
AVG Internet Security Business Edition 2011 is our most advanced small and medium business solution
to-date.
AVG recognizes that a small or medium sized business owner should not have to be an IT expert to protect
their business from online security threats and AVG 2011 Business edition is designed with ease of use and
maximum protection in mind.
With multiple layers of protection, smart scanning and a user-friendly management console, it’s the
ultimate solution for businesses that need peace of mind from security software that’s designed to be
high on protection, light on resources and easy-to-use.
16. 14
Top 5 new features and benefits of AVG Internet security Business Edition 2011:
1. Secures your business automatically from the latest and toughest internet threatswith AVG
LinkScanner® - Shows safety ratings in search engine results and ensures every web page your staff
visits is safe – even before they go there.
2. Protectsyourbusiness’sidentityandensuressafeonlinebusinesstransactionswithAVGDataProtection
Identifies and blocks software that is behaving suspiciously in order to protect your business identity
and data
3. People powered protection means your business benefits from the global community with AVG
Community Protection Network - Provides the latest threat information from around the world so that
your business protection is up-to-date
4. Protects your business on popular Social Networking sites with AVG Social Networking Protection™
- Real-time, automatic checking of links exchanged within Facebook and MySpace, keeping your
business safe during the ever increasing use of social networking.
5. Saves your business valuable time with AVG’s Smart Scanning - Scans while you’re away and runs in
low-priority mode when you’re working. AVG 2011’s scans are faster too, saving your business time by
using our unique Smart Scanning technology.
Visit our website for full details of all the advantages of AVG Internet Security Business Edition 2011.
Keep in touch with AVG
For business security news, views and trends, follow the AVG Small Business blog at
http://small-business.blog.avg.com/
Join our Linked In community at:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2719797
For breaking news, follow AVG on Twitter at:
www.twitter.com/officialAVGnews
For more information, please contact:
Ranjiv.Dale@gfk.com
or
Robert.Gorby@avg.com