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IT, Business Execs See Security Needs Differently

Security priorities IT, Business Execs See Security Needs Differently Channel partners must deal with the vastly different ways IT/security leaders and senior business executives see their organizations’ security priorities. Highest Corporate Priorities When asked which corporate initiative has the highest priority in their companies, 35% of IT and security leaders said protecting against cyber-attacks was […]

Written By

Michael Vizard

Mar 8, 2016

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Security priorities

IT, Business Execs See Security Needs Differently

Channel partners must deal with the vastly different ways IT/security leaders and senior business executives see their organizations’ security priorities.

Highest Corporate Priorities

When asked which corporate initiative has the highest priority in their companies, 35% of IT and security leaders said protecting against cyber-attacks was the No. 1 priority, while only 5% of C-suite executives said the same.

Most Important Business Assets

25% of IT and security pros cited regulated data and 20% customer data as the most important business asset they need to protect. The C-suite execs pointed to company reputation with customers (25%) and private intra-company communications (14%).

Level of IT Security Confidence

IT and security execs are most confident in their abilities to secure regulated data (51%), customer information (47%) and strategic plans (45%). They are least confident when it comes to liquid financial assets (17%), product specifications and pricing (21%), and private intra-company communications (22%).

Expectation of a Security Breach

While 40% of IT and security pros expect a breach to occur within one year, only 23% of the respondents in the C-suite had the same expectation.

Biggest IT Security Vulnerabilities

IT and security pros cited threats that move faster than defenses (36%), cloud architecture (34%) and penetration via non-standard devices (34%) as the biggest security vulnerabilities. The C-suite pointed to cloud architecture (40%), penetration via non-standard devices (39%), and undersized or under-funded IT security staffs (31%).

Impact of IT Security on Business

When asked how the threat of cyber-attacks and the effort needed to mitigate them affected their companies’ operation, 26% of IT and security execs said it impedes new market entry, 25% said it absorbs too much management time and 24% said it stifles innovation. Execs on the business side saw different effects: 54% said it absorbs too much management time, 46% said it reduces employee efficiency, 45% said it resulted in slow competitive responses and 45% said it impedes product launches.

Most Important Elements of Security Strategy

The IT and security leaders said software backup and recovery (52%), followed by firewalls (49%) and mobile security (49%), were the most importance parts of a security plan. The C-suite execs pointed to cloud-based security solutions (29%), followed by firewalls, anti-virus software and mobile security (all tied at 24%).

Increase in IT Security Funding

Nearly three in 10 (28%) IT and security leaders foresee a significant increase in IT funding this year, and 27% said the same for next year. In the C-suite, only 8% see a significant increase this year and 7% next year.

IT Security Funding Priorities

IT and security execs cited mobile security (35%), software backup and recovery (34%), and firewalls (31%) as funding priorities. C-level business execs see firewalls (12%), mobile security (11%), and software backup and recovery (10%) as priorities.

Michael Vizard

Michael Vizard is a seasoned IT journalist, with nearly 30 years of experience writing and editing about enterprise IT issues. He is a writer for publications including Programmableweb, IT Business Edge, CIOinsight, Channel Insider and UBM Tech. He formerly was editorial director for Ziff-Davis Enterprise, where he launched the company’s custom content division, and has also served as editor in chief for CRN and InfoWorld. He also has held editorial positions at PC Week, Computerworld and Digital Review.

IT, Business Execs See Security Needs Differently

Michael Vizard

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