Direct security breaches against databases appear to be on the rise, according to the recently released Summer 2002 Database Developers survey from research firm Evans Data Corp.

The report revealed that one in five respondents have experienced a direct breach in security, up significantly from the winter survey six months ago when 12% reported direct breaches. The most frequent type of security breach was a viral attack from outside the enterprise, at 22%.

The survey, which is fielded among more than 700 database specialists across North America, also revealed that all of the strategies for managing web-based data from real-time updating, to data collection to dynamic page creation, have increased in relative importance in the eyes of database developers. Evans said that the majority of database developers, 72%, rate dynamic page creation as critical and first in importance of features found in a database with web access, while 72% also give high priority to automatic site updating.

In addition to renewed interest in web access, the report uncovered increased momentum in the push to make databases accessible from mobile platforms. Almost half (47%) of respondents are either developing database applications that support wireless or handheld devices, or plan to do so within the coming year, a nine-point jump from the survey a year ago. In addition, more than a third of programmers are targeting PDAs for their first deployment, ahead of any other device category.

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