Nearly Half (47%) Of Business Managers Report At Least One Security Breach Or Virus Attack In Past Five Years
June 7, 2007 Toronto, ON – As information technology gains an ever-increasing role in business operations, a new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CMS Consulting finds that nearly half (47%) of Canadian business managers and executives report that their companies have had at least one IT security breach or virus attack in the past five years. Further, a significant proportion of managers and executives maintain that their businesses are not ‘very well-equipped to protect against security attacks’ against their mobile devices (23%), wireless networks (20%), corporate IT infrastructure (14%), and desktop applications (13%).
Over three quarters (77%) of Canadian managers and executives agree that their IT staff ‘has the advanced knowledge and skills required to defend against new and innovative security threats’. Conversely, nearly one quarter (24%) do not agree that their staff has the skills required to defend against security effects, despite the fact that three quarters (76%) maintain that securing their IT network is one of their businesses ‘most important priorities’. To that effect, fully two thirds (67%) acknowledge that their IT staff could benefit from a security training session.
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CMS Consulting from May 9 to May 11, 2007. For the survey, a representative randomly selected sample of 1064 business managers/executives was interviewed online. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within � 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of Canadian executives and managers been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample’s regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data.
Nearly Half (47%) Of Business Managers Report At Least One Security Breach Or Virus Attack In Past Five Years.
It appears as though security breaches and virus attacks on corporate information technology are quite common, with nearly half (47%) of all Canadian business managers and executives reporting that their company has had at least one security breach or virus attack in the past five years.
- 16% of managers and executives say that they have had one attack or breach, while 11% say they have had two or more, 7% say they have had three or more, 2% have had four or more, and one in ten (11%) say that they have had five or more during the past five years.
- Managers in Atlantic Canada are more likely than other regions in Canada to report having one or more security breaches or attacks, with nearly six in ten (57%) reporting the incidence of such an event, compared to the national average (47%).
‘Some Say Their Business ‘Not Well-Equipped’ To Protect Against Security Attacks.
Some business managers and executives do not agree that their business is very well-equipped to protect against security attacks against their corporate IT infrastructure (14%). It appears that these managers and executives are most concerned with mobile devices and wireless
technology security, with nearly one quarter (23%) agreeing that their business is not well-equipped to deal with security attacks against their mobile devices, and two in ten (20%) agreeing that their business is not well-equipped to deal with attacks on their wireless network.
- Managers are most confident about their desktop applications, with nine in ten (87%) agreeing that they are well-equipped to deal with attacks against this aspect of their corporate infrastructure.
- Business managers who reside in Quebec are most concerned about their ability to deal with attacks against their corporate IT systems, with 31% disagreeing with the notion that they are well-equipped to deal with attacks against their mobile devices, their wireless networks (26%), and their desktop applications and overall infrastructure (both at 21%).
- Business managers in British Columbia are most comfortable with their business’ ability to deal with attacks against their mobile devices, with only 16% disagreeing with the notion that they are well-equipped.
Only 77% Agree That Their IT Staff Has Skills Required To Defend Against Attacks.
When asked whether they agreed that their IT staff has the advanced knowledge and skills required to defend against new and innovative security threats, only 77% agreed that they did. Conversely, one quarter (23%) of Canadian managers and executives feel that their IT staff does not have the advanced knowledge and skills required to defend against new and innovative security threats. With three quarters (76%) identifying corporate infrastructure as one of their businesses’ ‘most important priorities’, it appears that these managers and executives might be willing to take advantage of increased opportunities to further secure their IT infrastructure, with two thirds (67%) agreeing that their IT staff could benefit from a security training session.
- Managers in Quebec and the Prairie Provinces are most likely to be sceptical about the abilities of their IT department to defend against new and innovative security threats, with over one quarter (26%) in each provinces disagreeing that their staff has the knowledge and skills required to deal with a situation of this nature.
- Managers in Ontario are most confident in their IT staff’s abilities to defend against new and innovative security threats, with eight in ten (80%) agreeing that their staff has the knowledge and skills required).
- Atlantic Canadian managers are the most likely to claim that their IT staff could benefit from a security training session, with eight in ten (80%) agreeing that they could; Only half (51%) of managers and executives from the prairie provinces agree that their IT staff could benefit from such a training session.
About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada’s market intelligence leader, the country’s leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights.
With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid’s marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos
company, a leading global survey-based market research group. To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.
