Thursday, November 17, 2011

Half of SMBs don't consider themselves targets of cyberattacks: Symantec

          It contradicts the evidence provided by Symantec.cloud that revealed 40% of all targeted attacks were on SMBs in 2010 compared to 28% on large enterprises. According to a Symantec survey, half of the small and medium businesses (SMBs) feel that they are not in danger from cyberattacks, despite knowing the dangers of these attacks.

          This is in contrast to data from Symantec.cloud that said since the beginning of 2010, 40% of all targeted attacks have been directed at companies with fewer than 500 employees, compared to only 28% directed at large enterprises. According to the 2011 SMB Threat Awareness Poll, more than half of SMBs are familiar with many different security threats to the business, including targeted attacks, keystroke logging, and the risks that come with using smartphones for company business.

          More than half (54%) stated that malware would cause a loss of productivity, and 36% recognised that hackers could gain access to proprietary information, while 46% stated that a targeted attack would cause a revenue loss and 20% said it would drive customers away. Symantec Corp Worldwide Marketing for SMB and .Cloud, Steve Cullen said their research shows that SMBs are quite vulnerable to cyberattacks, and it's more important than ever for them to take steps to keep their information safe

          "Even with tight budgets and limited resources, simple changes such as education and best practices can significantly strengthen an SMB's security approach to cyberattacks," Cullen said. The survey found that many SMBs are failing to take basic precautions to protect their information as they don't themselves as targets of cyberattacks. A shocking 63% do not secure machines used for online banking and 9% do not take any additional precautions for online banking, while more than half (61%) do not use antivirus on all desktops and 47% do not use security on mail servers/services.

          In order to keep sensitive corporate information safe, Symantec has recommended SMBs to develop Internet security guidelines and educate employees about Internet safety, security and the latest threats; asses their security status; and advised them to be proactive and develop a security plan.

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