Compliance Beats Worms As Top Security Concern, Survey Finds

IT security experts say regulatory compliance is their top concern, and it’s the second year in a row it’s the number one concern, according to a new global survey.

According to an article by Ulrika Hedquist on the Computerworld New Zealand website, the annual global information security survey by Ernst & Young polled 1,200 security professionals in 48 countries.

“Last year, regulatory compliance topped the executives’ list of concerns for the first time — ahead of worms and viruses,” Hedquist says. “In this year’s survey, worms and viruses were not even mentioned as drivers behind installing information security measures.”

“Our experience would indicate that [worms and viruses] are still of concern and that work which is being undertaken to respond to regulatory compliance also [addresses] the threats posed by worms and viruses,” Susan Steedman, national practice leader for risk advisory services at Ernst & Young New Zealand, told Hedquist.

In addition to compliance topping the list, Hedquist says privacy and personal data protection have moved up to second place on executives’ concern list.