X
Business

IT directors not gambling on security

Despite high profile security breaches the issue is still not a priority for many, a survey finds
Written by Jane Wakefield, Contributor

Half of IT directors are willing to bet less than £1 that their IT systems are safe from hacker attack, according to a series of surveys from data solutions firm CMG Admiral.

At three different security events -- the South West Insurance Forum, the NHS Security Conference and the Infosecurity Exhibition -- IT directors were asked about security and revealed an alarmingly lax approach to the issue.

Only 5 percent of respondents in the insurance sector saw security as a priority and, while 40 percent in the health sector cited security as their number one IT priority, only half were prepared to invest more than one tenth of their IT budget on the issue. Nearly half blamed the high implementation costs of security measures and over a third admitted feeling confused by the diversity of platforms on the market.

"As businesses and organisations increasingly depend on commerce and trade through computer networks, security needs to become an integral part of a company's business strategy. IT directors need to take note and address these issues, before they become a more serious problem," said Andrea Cumming, managing director of CMG Admiral.

Is your PC safe? Find out in ZDNet UK's Viruses and Hacking News Section.

Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Click on the TalkBack button and go to the Security forum.

Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom. And read other letters.

Editorial standards