58% of SMBs worldwide affected by malware

Panda Security has drawn up a worldwide barometer of security status in SMBs1. According to this study, 58% of SMBs worldwide are affected by malware.

Brazil, at 86%, is the country with the highest percentage of infected SMBs, with Greece next at 73%.

These infections have a range of negative effects on companies. Some 60% of Greek companies had to halt business activity at some time due to malware, as did 15% of Hispano-American businesses and 46% of Canadian firms. The global average was 30%.

In addition, 36% of SMBs suffered productivity losses and 15% lost important data.

These infections occurred despite 93% of companies worldwide having some type of security system installed. Generally speaking, the percentage of companies with protection is quite high: 92% in Germany, 84% in Benelux, 79% in Italy, etc. The lowest figures are in France and China, where only 64% and 67% of companies have a security solution installed.

Regarding the type of protection installed, 93% of SMBs around the world have an antivirus, 79% have a firewall, but just 63% have anti-spyware and 52% anti-spam protection.

With respect to the type of protection installed, 26% of those with a security system have a free software solution. The highest number of companies using free software is found in the UK (57%). Countries such as the USA (49%) and China (44%), also have a high percentage of free software usage.

When companies were asked why they didn’t have a security system, 33% of them claimed they were too expensive, while 9% replied that it was not necessary. Germany stands out in this respect, as 50% of companies chose price as the main reason for not having a security solution installed.

As regards security spending, 37% of SMBs worldwide spend less than $300 per year. Just 17% spend more than €1,000.

The USA, where 22% of companies spend more than €1,000 a year, and Germany (37%), are the top countries regarding security investment. The bottom positions however are occupied by countries such as Italy (12%) or the UK, where only 2% of companies spend more than €1,000 annually on IT security.

Some 55% of companies considered security as an important factor in the business. However, only 64% have someone dedicated exclusively to security.

Finally, regarding the all-important area of training on computer security and threats, 45% of companies do not receive any kind of training. The countries where most training is received include Benelux, Italy and the United Kingdom.