A solid majority of aerospace and defense executives surveyed continue to be confident in the information security activities of their companies and companies now are more aware of cyber threats, according to a survey by the consulting firm PwC and CIO and CSO Magazines.
The 9th annual survey of 9,600 security executives from 138 countries says that 72 percent of respondents report being confident in the effectiveness of their organization’s information security activities, although this percentage has “declined markedly since 2006,” the survey finds. The survey says 46 percent are very confident in their company’s information security activities while 26 percent are somewhat confident.
“Companies now have greater insights than ever before into the landscape of cyber crime and other security events, and they’re translating this information into investments specifically focused on three areas: prevention; detection; and operational web-related technologies,” Mark Lobel, a principal in PwC’s Advisory practice, said in a statement. “Just a few years ago, almost half of this survey’s respondents couldn’t answer the most basic questions about the nature of security breaches. Now, approximately 80 percent or more of respondents can provide specific information about the frequency, type and source of security breaches their organization’s faced this year.”
However, respondents agree that Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are one of the greatest cyber threats yet 79 percent say their organizations have not ensured that their security policies address APTs.
The survey also says that more than half, 53 percent, expect security spending in the industry will increase in the next year. Last year, 56 percent of respondents believed so and in 2009 just 45 percent expected increases, the survey says.
The survey also says that more aerospace and defense companies are reporting financial losses due to security incidents, 17 percent in 2011 versus 8 percent in 2008.