IT managers prescribe holistic security

Reg Reader Studies A Quocirca Reg Reader Study has found that while an overwhelming majority of IT managers believe that security measures should be managed centrally, just over half have actually begun to implement such a policy, and a paltry 18 per cent have actually completed deployment.

Quocirca's research - sponsored by Computer Associates - contains input from 1,200 IT managers from Europe and North America. It concludes that 60 per cent of businesses continues to manage point solutions individually, even though only one third of those surveyed think that this is the most effective solution. Quocirca principal analyst Jon Collins notes: "This suggests that tactical solutions are distracting companies from the real challenge, of defining and deploying a corporate security policy that takes a holistic view of the business risks and enables the implementation of comprehensive solutions."

The implications of not giving your firm a dose of holistic security medicine are clear, as Computer Associates' Simon Perry says: "At a time when Trojans, worms and viruses are constantly evolving and blending to create new security threats, IT managers cannot afford to have their time taken up trying to manage point solutions."

A summary report of Quocirca's findings is available for download here (PDF). ®