UK Companies have Mild Attitude to Data Security

In UK, almost 40% of organizations fail to sufficiently protect their data. These companies manage to secure less than 25% of data on their network within the companies, as per a new research by SafeNet, the world leader in information security.

The company conducted a survey involving 1,200 security professionals and IT directors from financial services, retail companies and government agencies. The survey enquired about these organizations' security and encryption policies to which 39% of respondents gave discouraging replies. They said 75% of their data moved across the company networks remains undefended.

However, the research found that organizations were beginning to encrypt more data. While merely 34% of them encrypted up to 25% of data, it had increased by 8% from the preceding year. The study also found that one in 20 businesses have no security systems to safeguard data on their networks. This level is almost same as in 2006.

Although the encryption level will be different for different organizations but companies must try to encrypt the maximum possible amount of network traffic, stated Gary Clark, VP, EMEA, SafeNet. Bobs Guide published Clark's statement on August 16, 2007. Clark added that he is concerned about the decline in the volume of organizations that enforced encryption policies and security measures over the last twelve months.

The survey further revealed that 17% of senior executives weren't sure of the encryption rates for the data on their network. Also, the companies did not give top priority to security issues and said that security awareness wasn't matching the level it should among the management of top-level.

As remote and mobile working increase, data tagged as 'mission- critical' is freely moving both within the firewall and outside it enabling more opportunities and resources for cyber criminals to access sensitive data, said Clark. But this wouldn't be the case if companies introduce appropriate security technology and strategy, he added.

Clark concluded by saying that organizations must constantly be on the job of assessing and amending strategies to safeguard information that is most crucial for an organization's survival.

Related article: US Passes Baton to Asia in Spam Relay

» SPAMfighter News - 8/31/2007