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While small to medium-sized businesses suffer more from malware than larger organisations, their security procedures are lagging behind.
According to a Global IT Security Risks survey, conducted by B2B International for Kaspersky Lab, small and medium-sized businesses are typically more vulnerable to viruses, worms, spyware and other malicious programs. Figures showed that 63 per cent of small companies and 60 per cent of medium-sized organisations have faced malware within the business network over the last 12 months. Larger companies, by contrast, tend to suffer more from other threats, such as corporate espionage, phishing and DDoS attacks.
Smaller organisations were also found to implement fewer or less well-developed IT security measures than large-scale enterprises. 19 per cent of small businesses and 15 per cent of medium-sized organisations agreed that their business tends to be reactive, focusing on IT security only after a breach has occurred. Less than a quarter of SMBs rate themselves as “really proactive”.
In addition, larger enterprises have a higher level of awareness and IT security competency. About half of these enterprises use only licensed and paid security solutions, while 70 per cent of respondents from small companies and 58 per cent of medium-sized businesses believe that unlicensed products can also provide the required protection. These findings demonstrate that SMBs are at risk due to poor IT security. It is essential to change attitudes towards this risk, and enhance protection levels, in order to keep businesses safe.
Conducted in July 2012, the Global IT Security Risks survey collected the opinions of 3,300 IT security professionals in 22 countries. All respondents are actively involved in their companies’ IT decision-making processes.
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