AT&T: Network security top of mind for executives

A global survey conducted by AT&T's Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) found that network security is seen as the single most important attribute of networks by business executives.

Of the 395 senior executives surveyed for the "Network Security: Protecting Productivity" report, 52 per cent said they now believe having a converged network gives their businesses better defense against IT security breaches, while almost 70 per cent said they feel IP helps ensure business continuity after an emergency.

However, network security topped the list of barriers to implementing a converged IP network. Business executives are increasingly more concerned about the growing volumes of customer data their companies hold and manipulate. Of the survey respondents, 45 per cent said the holding of sensitive customer data on their networks makes them feel "extremely" vulnerable from a security perspective, while 41 per cent said the process of analyzing and acting upon detailed customer data also significantly increases that vulnerability.

Executives currently believe that hackers are the single greatest security threat, with 49 per cent citing hackers as a threat. Protecting their networks from viruses and worms is also a major concern, with about 33 per cent of executives citing viruses and worms as a threat. The report predicts their concerns will rise over the next three years.

According to the study, the role of chief security officer (CSO) is rising. While CEOs typically remain the primary decision-makers for electronic security, 12 per cent of respondents said the chief decision-maker is now the CSO.

"Security is becoming more and more important in today's collaborative environment", said Lloyd Salvage, AT&T's vice president in the U.K., in a statement "We are constantly talking to our customers and helping them to re-evaluate their requirements to ensure that their businesses are adequately protected at all times."

"The above newsclip is distributed to educate and inform. This does not imply accuracy nor endorsement of the views by AT&T."