Majority of Businesses Plan to Accelerate IT Security Spending and Hiring

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Foster City, CA, Feb. 06, 2019 — eSecurityPlanet.com, a top online resource for IT security professionals and vendors, released its 2019 State of IT Security survey. This year’s results highlight an emerging gulf between companies ready to meet the growing perimeter and insider threats to their security, and those that aren’t, where one in three companies are still unprepared.

Driven by fear of data breaches and new privacy regulations, such as Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), this year’s survey finds that large enterprises are spending aggressively on IT security measures. The majority of surveyed spenders (69 percent) were identified as mid-sized to very large organizations.

IT spending is up across the board, with 54 percent of companies planning to increase their IT security spending this year and 30 percent aiming to increase their spending by 10 to 20 percent or more. The survey also finds that IT security staff hiring is up as well, with 57 percent of respondents saying their organizations are planning to hire security staff in the next 12 months.

With increased spending and attention being focused on enhancing IT security, the survey surprisingly reveals that many companies still find themselves at high risk, with a third of companies identified as being largely unprepared for cybersecurity attacks.

“Because data breaches occur on such a frequent basis, on the surface there seems to be a general disillusionment about the state of cybersecurity,” explains Sean Michael Kerner, senior security editor for eSecurityPlanet.com. “Yes, there are companies out there that are not where they need to be in terms of being secure, however, the 2019 State of IT Security survey paints an optimistic picture. Many of the findings point to the fact that more and more organizations are proactive about their cybersecurity challenges, instead of waiting for the next breach to occur.”

The survey report also provides other key insights, including:

  • Spending priorities: Network access control (NAC), web gateways and data loss prevention (DLP) are top IT security spending priorities, revealing a need for security teams to balance external and internal threats.
  • Security tools that inspire the most and least amount of trust: Network access controls topped the list of security technologies that users have the most confidence in, followed by DNS filtering, anti-virus technology, and web gateways. IT security pros have the least amount of confidence in phishing simulation products, followed by breach and attack simulation.
  • The demand for emerging technologies: The survey shows mixed results on demand, with deception technology being the most likely to be adopted over the next twelve months. The demand for other emerging technologies, such as security orchestration and automation and response (SOAR) is low.
  • Cybersecurity preparedness: The survey looks at how readiness compares to company size and guidance on how to be more prepared for threats.

To view the report and methodology please visit eSecurityPlanet.com’s 2019 State of IT Security Survey here.

eSecurityPlanet.com is owned and operated by QuinStreet, Inc. (Nasdaq: QNST), a pioneer in delivering online marketplace solutions to match searchers with brands in digital media. QuinStreet is committed to providing consumers and businesses with the information and tools they need to research, find and select the products and brands that meet their needs. eSecurityPlanet.com is a member of the company’s expert research and publishing division.

About eSecurityPlanet.com

eSecurityPlanet.com is an online resource for IT security professionals and vendors, featuring internet security news, expert analysis, technical tutorials, product reviews, and buying guides. Since 2000, eSecurityPlanet.com has delivered actionable insights into the latest tools and techniques for securing enterprises against the ever-changing cyber threat landscape. Led by an experienced editorial team, eSecurityPlanet.com offers readers both strategic and practical expertise to secure their networks and data.

Website: https://www.esecurityplanet.com

Twitter: @eSecurityP

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eSecurityPlanetcom-201643516537315

Rick Judge
eSecurityPlanet.com
415-429-5652
QuinStreet@libertycomms.com

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