Companies are jacking up their security measures as high-profile attacks continue to make headlines.
This is according to KnowBe4’s 2019 Security Threats and Trends Report, which polled 600 organisations worldwide on the major security issues they will face in the next 12 to 18 months.
The research covers security initiatives, how well organisations are equipped to deal with security threats, the most persistent security threats, ongoing challenges in security and more.
“This study shows us why it’s a really good idea to step your users through new-school security awareness training,” says Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4. “The threats aren’t going away any time soon – the bad guys are just getting more and more clever. That’s why it’s so important to build up your human firewall – your end users – to better protect your organisation.”
Survey highlights include:
* A majority of corporations – 86% – have proactively amplified security initiatives over the last year to combat the increase in cybersecurity attacks.
* Nearly nine out of 10 businesses – 89% – say they’re currently better equipped to deal with security threats than they were in 2018.
* Three quarters or 76% of organisations say the biggest and most persistent security threat comes from “the enemy from within” – careless end users – who regularly clicks on bad links, placing organisations at higher risk of falling victim to email phishing, ransomware, CEO fraud scams and various forms of malware.
* 58% of organisations cite budgetary constraints as an ongoing challenge in upgrading security.