RESEARCH into cyber attacks against business has revealed the Asia-Pacific region receives more than double the global average. A survey by B2B International and Kaspersky Lab has also found company security breaches involving human error occur most often in the Asia-Pacific region.

The survey, Global Corporate IT Security Risks for 2013, also found that companies from the Asia-Pacific region recorded the highest level of incidents relating to the theft or loss of personal devices by staff - at 36 percent. The global average for this type of threat is at 30 percent.

The percentage of companies in the region experiencing targeted cyber attacks is 17 percent against 9 percent globally.

"The findings suggest that staff-related security breaches have helped create the perception that APAC companies are vulnerable. This helps explain why companies in our region are being targeted at a rate which sits at nearly double the global average," Sam Bryce-Johnson, Kaspersky Lab Australia and New Zealand technical manager, said.

According to the data collected by B2B International analysts, on average such incidents cost a company up to $2.4 million, of which about $2.17 million stems directly from the incident itself in the form of losses from critical data leakages, business interruptions, and expenses for remediation specialist services.

Mr Bryce-Johnson said the remaining costs go towards future preventative measures.

He said the end goals of such attacks are typically about obtaining secret or confidential information from a specific company. Leakage of this data could lead to significant losses.

Company losses resulting from targeted attacks on small and medium enterprises are noticeably lower, at about $92,000 per incident, but considering the size of these companies, the blow suffered by a company is still substantial.

"The findings show that companies which invest in preventative measures, particularly in relation to staff training, end up saving a lot more in the long-term," Mr Bryce-Johnson said. "It requires an attitudinal shift in our understanding of IT security and the role which employees have to play."

Kaspersky Lab is the world's largest privately held anti-malware company. It delivers some of the world's most immediate protection against IT security threats. Over 300 million people worldwide are protected by Kaspersky Lab products and technologies. Kaspersky Lab's corporate client base exceeds 200,000 companies located around the globe, ranging from SME businesses, through to government and large commercial organisations. Kaspersky Lab's Australian and New Zealand headquarters is located in Melbourne, providing local technical support.

The report can be accessed through the link: http://media.kaspersky.com/en/business-security/Kaspersky_Global_IT_Security_Risks_Survey_report_Eng_final.pdf

http://www.kaspersky.com.au/

 

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