Survey Finds Range of Information Security Threats

Slightly more than half of IT professionals see viruses and worms as their top information security threat, while half also see spyware as a growing issue, according to a new survey. And the growth of mobile computing isn’t helping ease those fears at all.

According to an article on the Security Solutions website, the study, commissioned by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) found that viruses and worms, cited by 54 percent of respondents, and spyware, selected by 51 percent, continue to be the top two information security threats organizations face today.

But the real problem is the security issues related to handheld devices and to mobile and remote workers, the study also found. More than 50 percent of the respondents from four countries (the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and China) said security threats related to use of handheld devices has increased significantly compared to one year ago.

“As global trends of workforce mobility and decentralization place a greater strain on IT security infrastructure, it is becoming increasingly more complex for IT departments to safeguard information,” Laurel Chivari, vice president, marketing and communications, CompTIA, told the publication. “Threats related to mobile/remote computing and handheld devices can include simple user operating error; using a mobile device for unauthorized purposes; worms, viruses and phishing attacks; or loss or theft of the mobile device.”

Nearly three-quarters of respondents surveyed (71 percent) said their organizations allow mobile and remote employees to access data and networks, yet relatively few have implemented security awareness training tailored specifically for the mobile and remote workforce.

To read the full article, click here: http://securitysolutions.com/news/information-security-threats-0520/