McAfee's 'Does Size Matter?' Research Highlights Impact of Cyber Attacks
SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- McAfee, Inc.
(NYSE: MFE) today announced the release of startling research that reveals
the true cost of cyber attacks on small and medium sized businesses (SMBs).
A key misconception revealed by the survey is that many SMBs feel they are
too small to be targets for cybercriminals. The report can be downloaded at
http://www.mcafee.com/doessizematter.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080723/AQW043-a)
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080723/AQW043-b)
After sampling 500 IT decision-makers from companies with 1,000 - 2,000
employees, the report reveals that a third (32 percent) of small and medium
businesses in the United States and Canada have been attacked more than
four times by cybercriminals in the last three years. The research
concludes that a quarter of those attacked (26 percent) took at least a
week to recover, a devastating length of time to be offline for small
businesses who conduct business and sales via the Web. Recovery time in
Canada was even greater, with a third (36 percent) taking a week or more to
fully restore their systems.
The report highlights the gap between the perceptions of SMBs towards
security issues and the realities of cyber attacks.
Key statistics from the research include:
-- Too small to matter: 44 percent think cybercrime is only an issue for
larger organizations and believe it does not affect them
-- Not all in a name: 52 percent of businesses believe that because they
are not well-known so cybercriminals will not specifically target them
-- Undervaluing can be costly: Almost half (45 percent) do not think they
are a 'valuable target' for cybercriminals
-- Monetary misconceptions: 46 percent do not think they can be a source
of profit for cybercriminals
"For businesses of all sizes, viruses, hacker intrusions, spyware and
spam can lead to lost or stolen data, computer downtime, decreased
productivity, compliance issues, lost sales and even loss of reputation,"
said Darrell Rodenbaugh, senior vice president of the mid-market segment at
McAfee. "Just because a business is small does not mean it is immune to
security threats."
Sixty Minutes or Less
SMBs are allowing themselves to be vulnerable to IT attacks by failing
to allocate an appropriate amount of time and resources to security. Almost
half of SMBs (42 percent) dedicate just one hour a week to proactive IT
security management, despite the fact that almost one in five (21 percent)
acknowledged that an attack could put them out of business.
"Since many of the SMBs surveyed have just one hour per week to spend
on IT security, our advice is to find a trusted partner that can help them
assess their risk," said Rodenbaugh. "Choosing a managed solution and
outsourcing security helps SMBs free up their time to focus on other
priorities and feel confident that their IT security needs are being
covered by an expert. It can also mean security technologies that are
otherwise out of their price range will be available to them."
A False Sense of Security
SMBs may not be as safe from security attacks as they think.
Eighty-eight percent of respondents believed they were 'adequately
protected,' yet 43 percent of them admitted that they simply accept the
default settings on their IT equipment, settings which are often not in
line with their specific business needs.
The research, conducted by MSI, questioned 500 IT decision makers in
organizations in the United States and Canada. Detailed breakdowns are
available on request.
About McAfee, Inc.
McAfee, Inc., headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is the world's
largest dedicated security technology company. It delivers proactive and
proven solutions and services that secure systems and networks around the
world, allowing users to browse and shop the Web securely. With its
unmatched security expertise and commitment to innovation, McAfee empowers
home users, businesses, the public sector and service providers by enabling
them to comply with regulations, protect data, prevent disruptions,
identify vulnerabilities and continuously monitor and improve their
security. http://www.mcafee.com.
McAfee is a registered trademark of McAfee, Inc., and/or its affiliates
in the US and/or other countries. McAfee Red in connection with security is
distinctive of McAfee brand products. Any other non-McAfee related
products, registered and/or unregistered trademarks contained herein is
only by reference and are the sole property of their respective owners. (C)
2008 McAfee, Inc. All rights reserved.
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SOURCE McAfee, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.mcafee.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080723/AQW043-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080723/AQW043-b
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org AP PhotoExpress
Network: PRN1,2 PRN Photo Desk,
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CONTACT:
Tracy Ross of McAfee, Inc., +1-408-346-5965,
tracy_ross@mcafee.com; or Stuart Yeardsley of Red Consultancy,
+1-415-618-8814, stuart.yeardsley@redconsultancy.com, for McAfee,
Inc.
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