Over half of businesses in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) are expecting to face a cyberattack this year, according to a global survey conducted by IT company ISACA.
The survey of over 3,400 ISACA members revealed 61 per cent of ANZ businesses have a negative outlook concerning their cybersecurity, with only 43 per cent of IT professionals saying they are prepared for attacks.
“Data breaches at a series of well-known retailers in 2014 made the issue of data security highly visible to consumers and highlighted the struggles that companies face in keeping data safe,” ISACA International Vice President Garry Barnes said.
“Local companies and government entities must be prepared to address issue of cybersecurity head on and ensure their organisations are ready to respond swiftly if attacked.”
While not as gloomy as ANZ results, the worldwide numbers also revealed a negative outlook for 2015. 46 per cent of respondents around the world expect to face a cyberattack this year, a factor pushing many to take on security measures.
A report released by HP revealed cyber crime costs companies an annual average of $12.7 million, a 9 per cent rise from the average cost reported in 2013. The denial of services, malicious insiders and malicious code were found to account for over 55 per cent of all cyber crime costs per business.
