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Security Infringements - A Big Problem for SMBs in NZ and Australia

A new survey by Symantec, an online security company, reveals that as malicious code activities expanded at an unprecedented pace across the world during 2008, small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) in New Zealand and Australia accounted for a great part of the problem that comprised of security infringements and data loss.

The survey reveals that of the total SMBs in New Zealand and Australia participating in the poll, 58% suffer security infringements in which unauthorized access to information is gained, often leading to data hack, loss or theft.

Conversely, in spite of a large number of respondents understand the security dangers, some of them are neglecting the fundamental safeguards, the findings suggest.

Moreover, activity from malicious code kept on increasing enormously throughout 2008. In 2008, Symantec developed over 1.6 Million new signatures for malicious code that were equivalent to over 60% of all such signatures ever designed by Symantec. Additionally, the survey findings also highlighted that 90% of the total threats that Symantec spotted during 2008 aimed at seizing confidential information.

In a statement, Craig Scroggie, Vice-President and Managing Director of Symantec, Pacific region, cautioned that SMBs in New Zealand and Australia needed to be guarded against an increasingly complex and rapidly expanding various external and internal security threats, as reported by ITWIRE on May 12, 2009.

Scroggie said that since the threat scenario was constantly evolving at a rapid speed, SMBs needed to make sure that they could confidently address the new challenges. According to him, with the use of security mechanisms as well as through employee training of security procedures and policies, SMBs could minimize instances of computer invasion thereby reducing their impact on the company's brand and standing.

Scroggie also noted that the significance of safeguarding information networks, desktops, servers and e-mail appeared to be the priority for the participants in the survey, with 76% mentioning they were extremely/somewhat important.

Moreover, Symantec found that 68% of respondents identified viruses as their highest concern relating to online security, while over 60% were extremely/somewhat worried of spam, phishing scams, data infringements as well as sensitive data loss through USB devices or e-mail.

Related article: Securities Push Up A Must For Web Companies

» SPAMfighter News - 5/18/2009

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