CompTIA: Something Old, Something New: Organizations Dealing with Broad Range of Information Security Threats, CompTIA Survey Finds May 20, 2008 – Spyware, viruses, worms remain threats; handheld devices pose new challenges
Spyware, viruses and worms continue to plague most
organizations, but security challenges tied to the use of handheld devices
and mobile and remote computing are growing at a rapid pace, new research
commissioned by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)
reveals.
The CompTIA survey of more than 2,000 individuals found that
viruses and worms, cited by 54 percent of respondents, and spyware, selected
by 51 percent, continue to be the top two information security threats
organizations face today.
But security issues related to handheld devices, and to
mobile and remote workers, are clearly emerging concerns. In each of the four
countries where surveys were conducted the United States, Canada, United
Kingdom, and China more than 50 percent of respondents said security threats
related to use of handheld devices has increased significantly compared to
one year ago.
"As global trends of workforce mobility and
decentralization place a greater strain on IT security infrastructure, it is
becoming increasingly more complex for IT departments to safeguard
information," said Laurel Chivari, vice president, marketing and
communications, CompTIA. "Threats related to mobile/remote computing and
handheld devices can include simple user operating error; using a mobile
device for unauthorized purposes; worms, viruses and phishing attacks; or
loss or theft of the mobile device."
Nearly three-quarters of respondents surveyed (71 percent)
said their organizations allow mobile and remote employees to access data and
networks, yet relatively few have implemented security awareness training
tailored specifically for the mobile and remote workforce. Just 39 percent of
respondents said their organizations have implemented security awareness
training and education, while 19 percent said they intend to do so in
2008.
Yet among organizations that have implemented such training
for remote and mobile employees, 92 percent of respondents believe that the
number of major security breaches has been reduced.
CompTIA commissioned TNS, a world leader
in market insight and information, to conduct the survey. The online survey
of individuals responsible for information security enforcement in their
organizations was conducted in January and February and received a total
2,024 responses.
