56% of small businesses have had a security incident within the past 12 months

IT Observer quotes the results of a security study by Small Business Technology Institute and Symantec. Many small businesses lack sufficient security controls over even basic systems such as e-mail (20% are not secured) and wireless networks present a new area of concern (60% are not secured). 75% of small businesses perform no formal information security planning to counter these threats. 56% have experienced at least one security incident in the past 12 months, citing computer viruses, spyware and other malware as the main cause (60%). 30% have increased spending on information security solutions and 43% allocate a specific budget for these solutions. 70% of small businesses feel information security product materials could be improved to help them make more informed purchasing decisions, and small businesses continue to call for products which meet specific small business requirements.