IT pros still seem to think data breaches only happen to others

There are many variations on the theme that one can not address or resolve a problem until one first recognizes that the problem exists. When it comes to network and data security, and the ability to defend against data breaches, it seems that a majority of IT pros aren’t yet willing to admit the problem exists.

A survey of IT pros by ThreatTrack Security found that many organizations are ramping up investment in security initiatives, and there does seem to be more awareness of security concerns, and more support from company executives. All of that is great news, and definitely trending in the right direction. However, the percentage of IT professionals who are not just confident but willing to guarantee that a data breach won’t occur on their watch betrays either ignorance, or a cavalier attitude that attacks just won’t impact them.

I wrote about the ThreatTrack report in a blog post:

It’s been a rough year for businesses when it comes to data breaches. A new report from ThreatTrack Security suggests that things will improve dramatically in 2015—that is, unless the survey participants are overstating the efficacy of their network defenses. It’s important for you to take steps to secure your own data to make sure you’re protected either way.

The title of the ThreatTrack report—2015 Predictions from the Front Lines: Cybersecurity Professionals Very Confident in Their Ability to Fight Data Breaches in 2015—spells it all out. The survey of 250 IT professionals from companies of 2,000 or more employees reveals a high level of confidence when it comes to guarding against cyber attacks.

The summary of the report states, “though security professionals expect their organizations to be increasingly targeted by cybercrime in 2015, they are feeling optimistic—so much so that a significant majority is willing to personally guarantee the safety of their customers’ data. Their optimism appears rooted in plans to invest in the coming year on shoring up cyber defenses.”

Let’s start by taking a look at some of the findings from the survey. Nearly seven out of ten respondents believe their organizations are more likely to be targeted by a cyber attack in 2015. However, 94 percent indicated that their ability to detect and prevent data breaches will improve in 2015.

Check out the full story at PCWorld: Report: IT pros are overly confident that they know how to prevent data breaches.