Cyberattacks still top security priority

USIS released a study that identified key issues facing government and industry security personnel and identified a key issue in terms of security vendor structure and organization. USIS surveyed more than 250 government and industry leaders in the safety, security, and law enforcement market.

Survey respondents were asked to rate the top threats to U.S. national security. Cyberattacks ranked the highest, followed by terrorist activity. Tied for third place were insider threats and information security breaches. The survey also asked participants about their most important security business imperatives. Cybersecurity topped this list at 84 percent, followed by physical security and infrastructure protection at 74 percent, and then risk management planning at 73 percent.

A key finding of the survey showed that organizations with one vendor in place (rather than multiple vendors) to manage, install, maintain, and monitor security did a better job a securing the organization’s infrastructure. The survey revealed that 62 percent of those with one vendor in place were able to use the data available to monitor and manage threats “very well.” The majority (74 percent) of those who had one vendor in place to manage the installation, maintenance and monitoring of security said that they monitored security either “very well” or “perfectly.”

In addition, those with a concentrated effort on converged security seem to be managing risk and security in a more responsive and effective way. According to the study, of those respondents who identified that their organizations monitor security “perfectly,” nearly 77 percent are also focused on integrating IT and physical security. Eighty percent of those who identified that their organizations respond to risk “perfectly” also indicated that their organization is focused on the integration of IT and physical security.

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