Mismatch between IT security challenges and deployed solutions

The “CDW User-Proof IT Security Report,” a survey of business IT professionals, reveals a disparity between the most common IT security headaches and businesses’ deployment of solutions that could relieve them. Survey respondents said their most common problems stem from employees using the Internet inappropriately, using unapproved software, and circumventing security infrastructure and policies. However, the study found companies lagged in their use of tools such as Internet content filtering or network auditing and visibility systems, which would help IT management spot and sometimes avoid such risky behavior by network users.

CDW surveyed IT professionals at companies with more than 100 employees, focusing exclusively on those who said their organizations have written IT security policies and procedures. The survey asked respondents to grade their IT network users as a group on their understanding of and compliance with their IT security policies, and then asked in-depth questions regarding what security measures their companies employ and how IT security solutions could be improved to increase user compliance.

Responding IT professionals said their IT security systems are easy to use, but also reported much room for improvement in end-user understanding and compliance with security policies and procedures. Seventy-seven percent of IT professionals said that their IT security systems are very easy or somewhat easy to use, but just 23 percent gave their users an “A’ on compliance with IT security policies, procedures and required practices. Asked to assess available security solutions, IT professionals wanted vendors to provide still more user-friendly and easier-to-manage solutions that require less IT staff intervention.