APTs and data thefts top bugbears as per Websense

MUMBAI, INDIA: Surendra Singh, Regional Director - SAARC at Websense Inc. warns about how communication roadblocks within the business are barriers to reducing the risk of a cyber attack as 31 per cent of cyber security teams never speak with their executive team about cyber security. 

More so, as per a recent study, it turns out that given the chance, 29 per cent of respondents would do a complete overhaul of their current enterprise security system. Singh explains that what could be fueling this desire when 47 per cent of respondents say their organizations have been very frequently or frequently disappointed in their security investments. The figure was highest for India (63 per cent), Brazil (61 per cent), Hong Kong (58 per cent) and lowest for China (20 per cent), Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden (28 per cent) and for US about 48 per cent.

It also surfaced that APT's or Advanced Persistent Threats and data stealing attacks are the top fears. The fear of APT is lowest in Hong Kong, highest; China but the fear of data-stealing attack is highest in India, highest though lowest for Singapore.

These were findings from ‘Exposing the Cybersecurity Cracks: India Part 2: Roadblocks, Refresh and Raising the Human Security IQ' and ‘Exposing the Cybersecurity Cracks: A Global Perspective Part 2: Roadblocks, Refresh and Raising the Human Security IQ.'

"These fears are probably due to concerns that their technology won't protect them. Insider threats are also a real fear as 76 per cent say they personally know another security professional whose company had sensitive or confidential data stolen from an insider threat." Singh points out.

As ti possible top triggers for investment, only 38 per cent believe their company is investing enough in security personnel and technologies

He adds that to mend the cracks identified in both parts one and two of the research, organizations must raise the human security IQ. Practitioners acknowledge that technology is only one part of the security equation. The human element is becoming increasingly important to security programs. However, 48 percent of companies do not provide any cybersecurity education to their employees. Cyber threat modeling (including testing the human element) has only been completed by 42 per cent of respondents' organizations and of those that did, 94 per cent found it to be important in terms of managing their cyber risk.

Singh also mentions that only  four per cent conducted "fire drills" to determine the readiness of technology and personnel for an attack and so testing of systems is a concern area.