Dallas, 21 Nov 2018
* Only 14% of respondents say they have complete organisational awareness of IOT threats.
* Thirty-seven percent claimed they are not always able to define their security needs before implementing IOT solutions.
* Fifty-nine percent of corporate IOT attacks target office devices.
Trend Micro (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global leader in cyber security solutions, today revealed that 86% of surveyed IT and security decision-makers across the globe believe their organisation needs to improve its awareness of Internet of things (IOT) threats. This significant lack of knowledge accompanies rising threat levels and security challenges related to connected devices, which leaves organisations at great risk.
The poll of 1 150 IT and security leaders1 reveals a worrying lack of cyber security maturity in many organisations around the world, as they deploy IOT projects to drive innovation, agility and digital transformation.
"A common theme in cyber attacks today is that many are driven by a lack of security awareness, and this is accentuated with IOT security," said Kevin Simzer, chief operating officer for Trend Micro. "It's a good first step to see that IT leaders recognise awareness levels need to rise across the organisation. We recommend business leaders clearly acknowledge the IOT security challenges affecting their company, understand where their security requirements are, and invest accordingly to make their security goals a reality."
A lack of IOT security awareness leaves companies increasingly exposed to potentially damaging cyber attacks. According to the survey, current attacks are targeting office devices most, followed by manufacturing and the supply chain. When an attacker compromises these devices, they can also gain access to the greater corporate network to conduct even more damaging attacks.
To protect against IOT security attacks, more than 50% of surveyed IT and security decision-makers reported they prioritise a few key capabilities in their security solutions. Monitoring for anomalous behaviours and vulnerability management were the most sought-after requirements to mitigate the risk of IOT devices being compromised.
In addition to these specific capabilities, Trend Micro recommends a strong network defence approach to ensure IOT devices do not add security risk at any part of a corporate network. The company also offers a range of security solutions related to specific types of IOT devices for additional protection.
About the research
The findings are based on joint research with Vanson Bourne. Between 1 April and 25 May 2018, 1 150 online interviews were conducted with IT and security decision-makers from businesses with 500+ employees in five countries, including USA, UK, France, Germany and Japan. Respondents held either C-Level, senior management or middle management positions, and work in organisations operating in multiple sectors, including retail, financial services, public sector, media and construction.
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