Record number of IT security attacks - blueAPACHE

Historical article: 2014. Survey figures and forecasts below relate to the reporting period discussed in the article.

A new Kaspersky Lab and B2B International survey of 3,900 IT professionals shows 94% of organisations have had targeted IT security attacks in the past year. Their IT Security Risks Survey detailed that a single successful targeted attack can cost an organisation $US 2.54 million (enterprise level) and $US 84,000 for small businesses. The average cost for a single successful attack is $US 720,000. These are staggering sums, and serve as a reminder as to why IT security should remain on organisations' radars. Other key findings of the survey included:

“The survey results clearly indicate that many businesses now recognise that the threat of a targeted attack is very real and could be very harmful for their organisation. However, we are seeing that the number of companies that are actually taking that knowledge and turning it into an action to protect their organisation from such attacks is still alarmingly low”, said Chris Doggett, Kaspersky Lab North America’s Managing Director.

The cost of a cyber attack

Threats are not going away, they are growing.

The Global State of Information Security Survey 2015 (a worldwide survey by CIO, CSO and PwC) released earlier this month, revealed the number of reported cybersecurity incidents rose 48 percent in 2014 to 42.8 million, or approximately 117,339 attacks per day. As these attacks become more targeted, the risk to organisations continues to escalate.

Can you combat the growing threat yourself?

Frost & Sullivan suggests the demand for outsourced security services will almost double over the coming four years. The small and medium sectors can not afford to hire (let alone keep) the subject matter experts they need, and the capital cost of security appliances makes the ‘as a service’ model much more attractive. Under the ‘as a service’ model, smaller organisations can leverage industry leading experts and technologies to protect their operations, intellectual property and financial data in an affordable and predictable way. For more information on how to mitigate your risk (or to validate your existing security strategy), contact blueAPACHE.

What percentage of organisations experienced targeted IT security attacks according to the Kaspersky Lab and B2B International survey?

According to a Kaspersky Lab and B2B International survey of 3,900 IT professionals, 94% of organisations have had targeted IT security attacks in the past year.

How much can a single successful targeted attack cost an organisation, according to the IT Security Risks Survey?

The IT Security Risks Survey found that a single successful targeted attack can cost an enterprise-level organisation $US 2.54 million and a small business $US 84,000, with the average cost across all organisations being $US 720,000.

What did IT professionals identify as the top external threats to their organisations?

64 percent of IT professionals believed spam was the top external threat, followed by viruses, worms, Trojans and other types of malware, cited by 61 percent.

What type of information is most commonly lost when an organisation suffers a data breach?

According to the survey, organisations that suffer a data breach most commonly lose information about internal operations (43 percent), followed by customer information (31 percent) and financial information (22 percent).

What did Chris Doggett of Kaspersky Lab North America say about businesses' response to targeted attack threats?

Chris Doggett, Kaspersky Lab North America's Managing Director, said the survey results clearly indicate that many businesses now recognise the threat of a targeted attack is very real and could be very harmful, but the number of companies actually turning that knowledge into action to protect themselves remains alarmingly low.

How much did reported cybersecurity incidents rise in 2014 according to the Global State of Information Security Survey 2015?

The Global State of Information Security Survey 2015, a worldwide survey by CIO, CSO and PwC, revealed that reported cybersecurity incidents rose 48 percent in 2014 to 42.8 million, or approximately 117,339 attacks per day.

What did Frost & Sullivan predict about the demand for outsourced security services?

Frost & Sullivan suggested that the demand for outsourced security services would almost double over the coming four years, as small and medium-sized organisations cannot afford to hire or retain the subject matter experts needed, making the 'as a service' model more attractive than the capital cost of security appliances.

What benefit does the article describe for smaller organisations using security as a service?

Under the 'as a service' model, smaller organisations can leverage industry-leading experts and technologies to protect their operations, intellectual property and financial data in an affordable and predictable way.

What role does specialist expertise play in the article's security argument?

The article argues that smaller organisations may struggle to hire and retain security specialists, and that a service model can provide access to that expertise. It does not establish a percentage of breaches caused by human behaviour.

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