SMBs Must Prioritize IT Security Improvement

Most small and medium (SMB) business organizations believe that a violation of their IT security could have substantial impact on their business profits. However, limited budget and resources constrain them from actually fighting it proactively.

IDC has conducted an industry research on SMB IT decision makers under the sponsorship of MessageLabs and McAfee. It found that 80% of the 450 IT personnel apprehended a security threat in the IT system like an e-mail virus. Unfortunately, senior SMB IT employees discouraged a proactive approach in this area, as they tend to be more business oriented than anything else.

Small businesses put their highest priority on reliability and support above security issues, although majority of the SMEs lack adequate staff and resources to perform this job internally. The survey discovered that keeping abreast with latest security solutions and dealing with new threats were the two biggest problems for SMEs.

On the whole, the research showed that the size of the company was the determining factor for its security policy. Only 8% of the SMB participants in the survey inclined to give "Improve IT Security" as top priority in business.

Behavior of small and medium size companies towards security is more tactful and fulfill their immediate needs, according to Eric Domage, European Research Manager, Security Products and Solutions, IDC in a company press release on February 22, 2007.

However, they fail to understand the next generation threats. They can neither analyze it nor handle its complexity internally. Third-party managing security solutions can help SMBs to plug the gap between their perception of the threat and the virtual dangers. Therefore, SMBs must consider using remote security service providers as natural partners in obtaining the required level of security.

The survey further found that SMBs felt pressure in addressing legal obligations for information management. 53% of SMBs felt obliged to comply with legal regulations of the government or an authority.

Security directly and critically influences every aspect of the business reputation, productivity and continuity, said Mark Sunner, chief security analyst of MessageLabs. SMBs need a comprehensive security solution to realize and be prepared for the attack, he added.

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» SPAMfighter News - 3/6/2007