Companies Willing to Fund IT Security Efforts

September 11, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Technology security seems to be a growing concern among companies these days - one at which they're apparently willing to throw a good bit of money.

According to a survey by Vista Research and Harris Interactive, more than half the companies polled had upped the amount they spend on keeping their IT operation secure – in many cases taken from other parts of the company’s overall tech budgets.

Nearly half of the firms said they plan on repeating the budgeting for the coming year.

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Of those companies intending to spend significantly more this year, four in 10 said they would dip into other information technology budgets to do so, according to a CNET news report about the poll.

IT Security Vendors

The report found that security decision makers are currently using IT security products from mainstream companies such as Symantec, Microsoft and Cisco, rather than security-market stalwarts such as Check Point Software and Internet Security Systems, CNET said.

Specifically:

  • half of the participants cited Symantec as one of the companies they relied on
  • 47% said Cisco was part of their buying mix
  • 42% said Microsoft on their vendor list.
  • a scant 12% mentioned Check Point Software
  • 7% said Watchguard
  • a tiny 4% listed ISS.

Some 12% of the companies polled reported having a significant security breach or major fraud in the past year.

The report summarized the results of a survey of nearly 300 high-level information technology managers.

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