(Go here to actually contribute to the Poll)
These are the questions (my answers in red)...
What do you consider the biggest security risk for your company in 2009?
• Terrorism
• Workplace violence
• Intellectual property theft
Has your perceived risk for 2009 changed during the past year?
• Yes
• No
Do you feel you can adequately prepare for and prevent this risk?
• Yes.
• No. Why not?
Comments: Historically, security budgets have been skewed toward protecting physical assets. The value of most organizations, however, lies in their intellectual property assets. It is common to see budgets split 80%/20% when it should be the other way around.
Times are changing. Savvy security directors now understand intellectual property theft is a daily threat with very high-value consequences. Terrorism, workplace violence and general property protection problems tend to be sporadic and unpredictable; usually with a much lower dollar-value consequence.
The word among many of my clients is, "Let's put the money where it will do the most good." They are doing this by realigning budgets to match the real risks.
Paying attention to intellectual property theft is the new trend. Programs being instituted include:
• better management of information storage,
• eavesdropping and espionage detection audits,
• wireless LAN security auditing and compliance evaluations,
• employee education,
• workplace safeguards like... proper document disposal, and implementing the security features on computers and hard-drive based document printing stations.
The nice part – given the current economic situation – is that these changes do not increase the budget. They just make better use of it.
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Take the Poll.
See how others feel.
Kevin
