[ISN] Unencrypted networks threaten data security

From: InfoSec News (alerts@private)
Date: Tue Aug 21 2007 - 23:11:36 PDT


http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2197101/unencrypted-networks-data

By Ian Williams
vnunet.com
21 Aug 2007

Almost 40 per cent of UK organisations admit to protecting less than a 
quarter of their network traffic, according to the annual security 
survey conducted by SafeNet.

The report revealed that five per cent of UK organisations have no 
security measures at all to protect the data crossing their networks, a 
slight improvement from six per cent in 2006.

However, the survey also showed that overall levels of network 
protection are falling. Some 34 per cent of organisations encrypt only 
between one and 25 per cent of their data.

"The level of encryption required will obviously vary from organisation 
to organisation, but companies should be looking to encrypt as much 
network traffic as possible, if not all of it," said Gary Clark, vice 
president of SafeNet in EMEA.

"However, I am concerned to see that the number of organisations 
implementing security measures and encryption policies has decreased 
over the past 12 months. "

A point of concern is that 17 per cent of the senior executives surveyed 
were not sure of encryption rates for their network data, suggesting 
that awareness of security is not at the level it should be among 
top-level management.

"With the increase in mobile and remote working, mission-critical data 
is flowing freely inside and outside the firewall so cyber-criminals 
have more opportunity to access and take advantage of sensitive data," 
warned Clark.

The report was based on a survey of 1,200 IT directors and security 
professionals from government agencies, financial services and retail 
organisations about their encryption and security policies.


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