NEW CYBERSECURITY ANALYSIS REVEALS 4 OUT OF 10  WORK EMAILS ARE UNWANTED

NEW CYBERSECURITY ANALYSIS REVEALS 4 OUT OF 10 WORK EMAILS ARE UNWANTED

  • Cybersecurity experts studied over 25 billion emails for annual report*
  • New insights from Hornetsecurity reveal 40.5% of work emails are unwanted
  • Phishing ranked the number one email attack technique, at 39.6% of detected attacks

 

Pittsburgh, PA (November 10, 2022) – New research from cyber security provider Hornetsecurity has revealed that 40.5% of work emails are unwanted. The Cyber Security Report 2023, which analysed more than 25 billion work emails, also reveals significant changes to the nature of cyber-attacks in 2022 – indicating the constant, growing threats to email security, and need for caution in digital workplace communications.

Cyber Securiry Report
Cyber Securiry Report

Phishing remains the most common style of email attack, representing 39.6% of detected threats. Threat actors used the following file types sent via email to deliver payloads: Archive files (Zip, 7z, etc.) sent via email make up 28% of threats, down slightly from last year’s 33.6%, with HTML files increasing from 15.3% to 21%, and DOC(X) from 4.8% to 12.7%.

Commenting on the report findings, Hornetsecurity CEO, Daniel Hofmann, said: “This year’s cyber security report shows the steady creep of threats into inboxes around the world. The rise in unwanted emails, now found to be nearly 41%, is putting email users and businesses at significant risk.

“What’s more, our analysis identified both the enduring risk and changing landscape of ransomware attacks – highlighting the need for businesses and their employees to be more vigilant than ever.”

 

False security of Microsoft Teams

New cybersecurity trends and techniques for organisations to watch out for were also tracked. Since Microsoft disabled macros settings in Office 365, there has been a significant increase in HTML smuggling attacks using embedded LNK or ZIP files to deliver malware.

Microsoft 365 makes it easy to share documents, and end users often overlook the ramifications of how files are shared, as well as the security implications. Hornetsecurity found 25% of respondents were either unsure or assumed that Microsoft365 was immune to ransomware threats.

Hofmann added: “For these attackers, every industry is a target. Companies must therefore ensure comprehensive security awareness training while implementing next-gen preventative measures to ward off threats.”

“Ongoing training should be in place to prevent fraudsters from manipulating the trust people have in Microsoft and other office systems, and to counteract the psychological tricks applied by attackers. As usage of cloud services continues to grow and more users turn to MS Teams to share business information, it’s also critical to ensure all data shared via this platform is backed up.”

 

Shifting targets: brand impersonations

Cyber threats go beyond email and business communication platforms, however.  Brand impersonation attacks continue to rise, even on corporate social media, with LinkedIn growing to 22.4% of detected global brand impersonation threats, an increase of 3.5% compared with last year.

Cybercriminals use platforms like LinkedIn to determine job information and use this to gain access to company resources through social engineering. Organisations and their employees must always exercise caution when receiving work emails – both those that are unwanted, and those that may be from malicious impersonators.

 

Download the full Cyber Security Report 2023 here.

 

Hornetsecurity is hosting a Cyber Security Roundtable on 30 November, in which a panel of security experts will discuss the report findings and key strategies to building cyber security resilience in 2023. Learn more and register here.

Notes to Editor:

 

  1. *By reviewing more than 25 billion emails collected over the current reporting period (1 October 2021 – 30 September 2022), the Security Lab has made the following determinations.

About Hornetsecurity

Hornetsecurity  is the leading security and backup solution provider for Microsoft 365. Its flagship product is the most extensive cloud security solution for Microsoft 365 on the market, providing robust, comprehensive, award-winning protection: Spam and virus filtering, protection against phishing and ransomware, legally compliant archiving and encryption, advanced threat protection, email continuity, signatures and disclaimers. It’s an all-in-one security package that even includes backup and recovery for all data in Microsoft 365 and users’ endpoints.

Hornetsecurity Inc. is based in Pittsburgh, PA with other North America offices in Washington D.C. and Montreal, Canada. Globally, Hornetsecurity operates in more than 30 countries through its international distribution network. Its premium services are used by 50,000+ customers including Swisscom, Telefónica, KONICA MINOLTA, LVM Versicherung, and CLAAS.

 

For any media enquiries, please contact press@hornetsecurity.com.

Hornetsecurity launches next-generation Security Awareness Training to help organizations strengthen their human firewall

Hornetsecurity launches next-generation Security Awareness Training to help organizations strengthen their human firewall

  • Latest Hornetsecurity advancement in cybersecurity provides businesses with automated awareness training
  • Best-in-class awareness training comes after a marked increase in cybersecurity risks and attacks in 2022

 

Pittsburgh, PA (October 24, 2022) – Today, Hornetsecurity launches a next-generation Security Awareness Training, to better equip employees to counter cyber-attacks, building on its international reputation as a cybersecurity leader.

 

Cyber criminals are constantly innovating and attacks are on the rise: Hornetsecurity’s 2022 Ransomware Report found that 60% of attacks came from phishing attempts. Many attackers exploit human vulnerability to phishing and fraud, so this new training service integrates the human factor into the cybersecurity cycle – bolstering this weaker link in the defence chain.

 

Systems and tools are only as secure as their users

Even with the best cybersecurity offering in place, there is always room for human error, which is why many cybersecurity insurance providers demand awareness training for employees. The new training from Hornetsecurity highlights the individual’s importance in establishing an organisation’s human firewall – and how essential each and every employee is in corporate cybersecurity, from prevention to protection, to response and recovery. In doing so, it helps companies establish a sustainable security culture.

 

An easy service that helps build a security mindset

Hornetsecurity’s automated training is innovative in that it is simple, rather than maintenance-intensive, for customers. The Awareness Engine is the technological heart of the Security Awareness product, offering bespoke, needs-based training: each user receives as much training as is necessary. Its Patented Spear Phishing Engine simulates sophisticated attacks to build knowledge of attacks.

To measure progress, it uses the Employee Security Index (ESI®) as an industry-wide unique benchmark, constantly measuring and comparing the organization’s and employee security behaviour.

It is available via subscription licensing, as a standalone service or as an addition to Hornetsecurity’s email security services, such as 365 Total Protection.

 

Training possible thanks to acquisition of IT-Seal

Hornetsecurity has always seen education as a key part of cybersecurity, providing ebooks, webinars and reports. The acquisition of IT-Seal in May 2022 further expanded Hornetsecurity’s education capabilities. Alongside its established email security and backup and recovery solutions, all aspects of the awareness-prevention-detection cycle are now covered.

Commenting on the Security Awareness Training launch, Daniel Hofmann, Hornetsecurity CEO says: “With cyber-attacks on the rise, it’s increasingly important for organisations to implement a cybersecurity ecosystem that includes education and robust email security functionality for prevention as well as back up for recovery. Our new offering specifically supports and guards against very human vulnerabilities to phishing and other cyber risks.              

“The Security Awareness Training product adds great value to our portfolio, bringing us closer to our goal of being one-stop vendor for next-gen security, backup and compliance for our partners and customers, with a special focus on Microsoft 365. It has already been implemented by global customers, including BMW Group and FC Bayern Munich.

“This is part of a very exciting 2022 and 2023 growth pipeline and we’re looking forward to continuing this momentum.”

 

For more information, please click here.

About Hornetsecurity

Hornetsecurity is the leading security and backup solution provider for Microsoft 365. Its flagship product is the most extensive cloud security solution for Microsoft 365 on the market, providing robust, comprehensive, award-winning protection: Spam and virus filtering, protection against phishing and ransomware, legally compliant archiving and encryption, advanced threat protection, email continuity, signatures and disclaimers. It’s an all-in-one security package that even includes backup and recovery for all data in Microsoft 365 and users’ endpoints.

Hornetsecurity Inc. is based in Pittsburgh, PA with other North America offices in Washington D.C. and Montreal, Canada. Globally, Hornetsecurity operates in more than 30 countries through its international distribution network. Its premium services are used by 50,000+ customers including Swisscom, Telefónica, KONICA MINOLTA, LVM Versicherung, and CLAAS.

 

For media inquiries

Please contact us on press@hornetsecurity.com.

Research reveals Microsoft Teams security and backup flaws, with over half of users sharing business-critical information on the platform

Research reveals Microsoft Teams security and backup flaws, with over half of users sharing business-critical information on the platform

Most backup and security vendors overlook this vital communication channel

 

  • 70% of respondents exchange more direct messages with colleagues via User Chats than Group Channel Conversations.
  • 45% send confidential and sensitive information frequently via Teams
  • This rises to 51% often sharing business-critical information
  • 48% of all respondents have accidentally sent Teams messages that should not have been sent

Pittsburgh, PA (October 6, 2022) – Leading cybersecurity software provider Hornetsecurity has found an urgent need for greater backup for Microsoft Teams, with nearly half of users (45%) sending confidential and critical information frequently via the platform. Research commissioned by the company highlights the often-overlooked need for Teams backup and security, as internal business communications over chat are on the rise, reaching the same levels as communication via email.  The research was conducted by techconsult, an established German IT research and analyst firm.

 

User behaviours on Teams are ripe for data loss

Teams User Chat (direct) messaging is the preferred form of business communication over Teams Channel Conversations for 90% of respondents, and more than 41% of people send a minimum of 10 User Chat messages a day. Just over a quarter of all messages (26%) are written in Teams Group Channel Conversations, showing communication is unevenly spread across the platform.

Nearly half (45%) of respondents frequently share confidential and sensitive information via Teams with 51% often sending business-critical documents and data. Users tend to send such information more when they use personal devices; 51% of those on a personal device send restricted and confidential data, compared to 29% of people on a work device.

 

It’s easy to make mistakes

The survey also found that 48% of all respondents sent messages on Teams they should not have. Of this group, 88% had been trained in the use of collaboration solutions, highlighting the need for increased and improved training on how to use Teams and the risks of sending sensitive data.

 

Urgent need for companies to scrutinise Teams backup, security and training

Over half of respondents (56%) see employee training and awareness as the primary approach to reducing cybersecurity risks. However, with 89% of respondents writing more User Chat messages than Group Channel Conversations, it is important to use a backup solution that protects all collaborative features on Teams.

Hornetsecurity’s CEO Daniel Hofmann says “The increasing use of chat services has changed the way many now conduct work. With this change, the risk of data loss has unfortunately increased. Companies must have adequate safeguards in place to protect and secure business data. Otherwise, they run the risk of productivity, financial and data loss.

“This is because Microsoft does not provide robust protection of data shared via Teams – so beyond the cybersecurity vulnerabilities, organisations must ensure information and files shared across the platform are backed up in a secure, responsible way. This is why we’re proud to offer Hornetsecurity’s 365 Total Backup, the only major third-party backup provider to protect the full range of Teams communications, from User Chats to Group Channel Conversations.”

 

For further information and a full copy of the survey, please click here.

Notes to editors:

The Teams Backup survey by techconsult for Hornetsecurity was the result of:

  • Quantitative online survey in August 2022
  • Questionnaire with 19 questions
  • 540 participants from companies with at least 50 employees from all industries

About Hornetsecurity

Hornetsecurity is the leading security and backup solution provider for Microsoft 365. Its flagship product is the most extensive cloud security solution for Microsoft 365 on the market, providing robust, comprehensive, award-winning protection: Spam and virus filtering, protection against phishing and ransomware, legally compliant archiving and encryption, advanced threat protection, email continuity, signatures and disclaimers. It’s an all-in-one security package that even includes backup and recovery for all data in Microsoft 365 and users’ endpoints.

Hornetsecurity Inc. is based in Pittsburgh, PA with other North America offices in Washington D.C. and Montreal, Canada. Globally, Hornetsecurity operates in more than 30 countries through its international distribution network. Its premium services are used by 50,000+ customers including Swisscom, Telefónica, KONICA MINOLTA, LVM Versicherung, and CLAAS.

 

For media inquiries

Please contact us on press@hornetsecurity.com.

Ransomware attacks continue increasing: 20% of all reported attacks occurred in the last 12 months – new survey

Ransomware attacks continue increasing: 20% of all reported attacks occurred in the last 12 months – new survey

  • Hornetsecurity’s 2022 Ransomware Report found that 60% of attacks came from phishing attempts
  • Survey of over 2,000 IT pros revealed that a quarter either don’t know or don’t think Microsoft 365 data can be affected by ransomware
  • Report also found that hackers continue to be incentivized to run attacks with 7% of organizations paying a ransom and 14% losing data

Pittsburgh, PA (September 26, 2022) – Nearly a quarter of businesses have suffered a ransomware attack, with a fifth occurring in the past 12 months, according to a latest annual report from cybersecurity specialist Hornetsecurity.

 

The 2022 Ransomware Report, which surveyed over 2,000 IT leaders, revealed that 24% have been victims of a ransomware attack, with one in five (20%) attacks happening in the last year.

Cyberattacks are happening more frequently. Last year’s ransomware survey revealed one in five (21%) companies experienced an attack; this year it rose by three percent to 24%.

Hornetsecurity CEO, Daniel Hofmann said: “Attacks on businesses are increasing, and there is a shocking lack of awareness and preparation by IT pros. Our survey shows that many in the IT community have a false sense of security. As bad actors develop new techniques, companies like ours have to do what it takes to come out ahead and protect businesses around the world.”

 

Microsoft 365 users targeted by attackers

The 2022 Ransomware Report highlighted a lack of knowledge on the security available to businesses. A quarter (25%) of IT professionals either don’t know or don’t think that Microsoft 365 data can be impacted by a ransomware attack.

Just as worryingly, 40% of IT professionals that use Microsoft 365 in their organization admitted they do not have a recovery plan in case their Microsoft 365 data was compromised by a ransomware attack.

Hofmann added: “Microsoft 365 is vulnerable to phishing attacks and ransomware attacks, but with the help of third-party tools, IT admins can back up their Microsoft 365 data securely and protect themselves from such attacks.”

 

Lack of business preparedness

Industry responses showed the widespread lack of preparedness from IT professionals and businesses. There has been an increase in businesses not having a disaster recovery plan in place if they do succumb to the heightened threat of a cyberattack.

In 2021, 16% of respondents reported having no disaster recovery plan in place. In 2022, this grew to 19%, despite the rise in attacks.

The survey also showed that more than one in five businesses (21%) that were attacked either paid up or lost data. Hackers have an incentive to run these ransomware attacks because there’s a decent chance that they’ll get a payday – 7% of IT professionals whose organization was attacked paid the ransom, while 14% admitted that they lost data to an attack.

Hofmann concluded: “Interestingly, 97% of pros are moderately to extremely confident in their primary protection method, even if they don’t use many of the most effective security measures available, such as immutable storage and air-gapped off-site storage. This tells us that more education is needed in the field, and we’re committed to this cause.”

 

Next steps for IT Pros

Read more about Hornetsecurity’s Ransomware Attacks Survey.

These findings will directly influence an educational webinar on 5 October, Ransomware Attack Survey: One Year Later. Colin Wright, Hornetsecurity VP of EMEA and Andy Syrewicze, Microsoft MVP will break down the results of this survey and explore the current trends, threats, and news from the industry. Register for the ransomware attack webinar here.

About Hornetsecurity

Hornetsecurity is the leading security and backup solution provider for Microsoft 365. Its flagship product is the most extensive cloud security solution for Microsoft 365 on the market, providing robust, comprehensive, award-winning protection: Spam and virus filtering, protection against phishing and ransomware, legally compliant archiving and encryption, advanced threat protection, email continuity, signatures and disclaimers. It’s an all-in-one security package that even includes backup and recovery for all data in Microsoft 365 and users’ endpoints.

Hornetsecurity Inc. is based in Pittsburgh, PA with other North America offices in Washington D.C. and Montreal, Canada. Globally, Hornetsecurity operates in more than 30 countries through its international distribution network. Its premium services are used by 50,000+ customers including Swisscom, Telefónica, KONICA MINOLTA, LVM Versicherung, and CLAAS.

 

Media enquiries

Please contact us on press@hornetsecurity.com.

Hornetsecurity Announces Strategic Growth Investment from TA

Hornetsecurity Announces Strategic Growth Investment from TA

TA joins existing investors PSG and Verdane in a co-control partnership alongside the Hornetsecurity management team

 

HANOVER, Germany; September 6 2022 – Hornetsecurity (the “Company”), a leading international cloud security and compliance SaaS provider, announced today that TA Associates (“TA”), a leading global growth private equity firm, has signed a definitive agreement to make a strategic growth investment in the Company.

 

TA will join existing investors PSG Equity (“PSG”), a leading growth equity firm partnering with software and technology-enabled services companies, and Verdane, a European specialist growth equity investor named one of the region’s most active software investors, as well as the Company’s management team.

 

Hornetsecurity provides a range of products which are rated among the best-in-class that are designed to protect more than two million users against the latest and most sophisticated cyber threats. The Company’s product portfolio includes email security, backup solutions, and archiving and continuity services, as well as security awareness training. Its flagship offering, the 365 Total Protection Suite, is specially developed for Microsoft 365 and can be seamlessly integrated into businesses’ existing Microsoft 365 environment. Hornetsecurity serves customers across a range of sizes and industries, with differentiated product offerings tailored to a range of security needs. The majority of customers are served through a trusted channel partner community of more than 8,000 value-added resellers (VARs), managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs).

 

“Over the last two years, our partnership with PSG and Verdane has enabled us to execute on our strategic goal of providing all organizations with comprehensive cloud security and compliance solutions. We are excited to welcome TA as a new investor, and to continue our partnership with PSG and Verdane, as we invest further in our growth and product innovation. Together, we will work to deliver even greater value to our customers, partners, employees and the communities in which we do business,” said Daniel Hofmann, founder & CEO of Hornetsecurity.

 

Verdane invested in Hornetsecurity in 2016, and PSG made its investment in 2020. Since 2020, the Company has completed three acquisitions to expand its cloud cyber security offering, adding cloud back-up solutions and security awareness training. This new round of investment aims to further support Hornetsecurity’s product build-out and international expansion strategy through continued organic growth acceleration and M&A.

 

”Hornetsecurity has continually demonstrated its ability to innovate and identify solutions that meet the evolving cyber security and compliance needs of its customers. Looking ahead, we believe there is ample opportunity for the Company to further strengthen its product portfolio and grow its footprint, both organically and through strategic acquisitions. We look forward to partnering with Hornetsecurity’s proven management team, led by Daniel Hofmann, PSG and Verdane in support of the Company’s growth journey,” said Morgan Seigler, Managing Director, and Stefan Dandl, Principal, at TA.

 

“The Hornetsecurity management team has done an incredible job scaling the Company’s solution suite into a comprehensive cloud security and compliance offering. We warmly welcome TA into our existing partnership with Verdane and are excited to jointly back Daniel Hofmann, Daniel Blank (COO) and the entire Hornetsecurity team in their pursuit of the Company’s next phase of growth to create a leading international cloud security and compliance software champion,” said Dany Rammal, Managing Director and Head of PSG in Europe, and Christian Stein, Managing Director.

 

“We are excited to welcome TA as an equal partner on our journey to support the Hornetsecurity team in building the world’s leading cloud security and compliance SaaS provider. Since our investment in 2016, Daniel Hofmann and the entire Hornetsecurity team have built a cyber security powerhouse that continues to set new standards for cloud security. We look forward to continuing on that journey in close collaboration with TA, our existing partner PSG and the entire Hornetsecurity team,” said Emanuel Johnsson, Partner, and Hendrik Wildhagen, Director at Verdane.

 

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, pending customary regulatory approval. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

 

TA is represented by Latham & Watkins, and PSG and Verdane are represented by Hengeler Mueller. Raymond James is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Hornetsecurity.

About Hornetsecurity 

Hornetsecurity is a leading cloud security and compliance SaaS provider, which protects the IT infrastructure, digital communication and data of companies and organizations of all sizes. The security specialist provides its services worldwide via 11 redundant, secured data centres. Its product portfolio covers all important areas of email security, including spam and virus filters, legally compliant archiving and encryption, defense against CEO fraud and protection against ransomware; backup and recovery; as well as security awareness training. With more than 400 employees, Hornetsecurity operates in more than 30 countries through its international channel partner network and its premium services are used by approximately 50,000 customers. To learn more, visit www.hornetsecurity.com

 

About PSG Equity

PSG Equity (“PSG”) is a growth equity firm that partners with software and technology-enabled services companies to help them navigate transformational growth, capitalize on strategic opportunities and build strong teams. Having backed more than 110 companies and facilitated over 400 add-on acquisitions, PSG brings extensive investment experience, deep expertise in software and technology, and a firm commitment to collaborating with management teams. Founded in 2014, PSG operates out of offices in Boston, Kansas City, London, Paris, Madrid and Tel-Aviv. To learn more about PSG, visit www.psgequity.com.

 

About TA

TA Associates (“TA”) is a leading global growth private equity firm. Focused on targeted sectors within five industries – technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer, and business services – the firm invests in profitable, growing companies with opportunities for sustained growth and has invested in more than 560 companies around the world. Investing as either a majority or minority investor, TA employs a long-term approach, utilizing its strategic resources to help management teams build lasting value in high quality growth companies. TA has raised $47.5 billion in capital since its founding in 1968. The firm’s more than 110 investment professionals are based in Boston, Menlo Park, Austin, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. More information about TA can be found at www.ta.com.

  

About Verdane

Verdane is a specialist growth equity investment firm that partners with tech-enabled and sustainable European businesses to help them reach the next stage of international growth. Verdane can invest as a minority or majority investor, either in single companies or through portfolios of companies, and looks to deploy behind three core themes; the Digital Consumer, Software Everywhere and Sustainable Society. Verdane funds hold over €4 billion in total commitments and have made over 140 investments in fast-growing businesses since 2003. Verdane’s team of over 130 investment professionals and operating experts, based out of Berlin, Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Oslo and Stockholm, is dedicated to being the preferred growth partner to tech-enabled and sustainable businesses in Europe.

More info: www.verdane.com
Follow Verdane on LinkedIn

 

 

Contacts

 

Hornetsecurity

Angelica Micallef Trigona
press@hornetsecurity.com

 

PSG Equity

Ryan Smith, Prosek Partners
rsmith@prosek.com
+44 785 475 0943

 

TA

Maggie Benoit
mbenoit@ta.com
+1 617-598-6685

 

Verdane

Verdane Press Office
Press@verdane.com
+46 76 27 28 100

Using more complex IT security strategies does not necessarily increase security, survey finds

Using more complex IT security strategies does not necessarily increase security, survey finds

The survey, conducted by Hornetsecurity, reveals that organizations activated more Microsoft 365 security features as they were increasingly targeted by cyber-attacks in the last year.

 

Pittsburgh, PA (June 21 2022) – A global IT security and compliance survey of 800+ IT professionals found that the rate of IT security incidents increases the more Microsoft 365 security features are used. Organizations using Microsoft 365 and that use 1 or 2 of its stock security features reported attacks 24.4% and 28.2% of the time respectively, while those that use 6 or 7 features reported attacks 55.6% and 40.8% of the time respectively. Overall, it was found that 3 in 10 organizations (29.2%) using Microsoft 365 reported a known security incident in the last 12 months.

Conducted by Hornetsecurity, a leading security and backup solution provider for Microsoft 365, the survey indicates that while the use of additional security features is essential, it is more practical to use tried and tested, user-friendly solutions – preferably executed by dedicated security professionals.

 

What do IT security professionals say?

Experts at Hornetsecurity say that these findings could be due to a number of factors. They point to the likelihood that organizations with a high number of implemented security features have done so as a result of sustained cyber-attacks over a period of time, in an attempt to mitigate security threats.

They also suggest that the more security features that IT teams attempt to implement, the more complex the security system becomes. Features may be misconfigured, leaving vulnerabilities. This is corroborated by the fact that 62.6% of respondents indicated that the main roadblock to implementing security features within their organization is ‘not enough time or resources’.

Another theory is that making use of more features may contribute to a false sense of security within the organization. This could lead it to stop paying close attention to potential security threats, believing that all these features will keep them safe without having to make additional active effort.

“It’s a game of cat and mouse. As you grow, you add security features, but you also become more susceptible to attack because you are a more lucrative target. Yet, you have to stay ahead of the criminals trying to harm your organization. The results of our survey made clear that relying on stock security features for digital safety is insufficient,” said Daniel Hofmann, CEO at Hornetsecurity.

“Organizations must proactively find ways of identifying unseen vulnerabilities and should take a diligent, holistic approach to cybersecurity, rather than relying on what is available out of the box and only reacting once it is too late.”

 

What are the roadblocks faced by IT Pros to implement security features in their organizations?

Surprisingly, a quarter of respondents (25.7%) that employ over 50 people and have compliance requirements neither employ a dedicated compliance officer nor a dedicated IT security officer. Several factors contribute to a lack of attention to IT security and compliance in medium to large organizations.

Nearly 2 in 3 IT professionals (62.6%) surveyed indicate that ‘not enough time or resources’ is the main roadblock to implementing security features within their organization. Following this, respondents cite a ‘lack of budget’ (44.6%), ‘skilling issues and/or a lack of knowledge’ (36.2%) and a ‘lack of interest from management’ (23.1%).

All of the above results indicate a general lack of urgency surrounding security within organizations. Only 2% of respondents indicated that they have no roadblocks with regards to security, and over half of respondents (55.5%) said that their organization does not have a change tracking and review process in place – a vital tool for the identification of security threats.

 

What are the most commonly used security features within organizations?

Of the 11 security features listed in the survey, ‘spam filtration’ was the most popular, with 84.4% of respondents reporting its use within their organization. ‘Multi-factor authentication’ (82.7% of respondents) follows closely behind. ‘Web traffic filtration’, ‘permissions management’, and ‘IT security awareness training for users’ are used by 68.8%, 66.4%, and 61.2% respectively.

The least common security measure was ‘SIEM Solution’, with only 14.1% of respondents implementing such a measure. However, ‘SIEM Solutions’ corresponded with the highest rate of incidents at 42.1%, which corroborates the idea that more advanced security is needed as organizations become a bigger target.

 

About Hornetsecurity Group

Hornetsecurity is the leading security and backup solution provider for Microsoft 365. Its flagship product is the most extensive cloud security solution for Microsoft 365 on the market, providing robust, comprehensive, award-winning protection: Spam and virus filtering, protection against phishing and ransomware, legally compliant archiving and encryption, advanced threat protection, email continuity, signatures and disclaimers. It’s an all-in-one security package that even includes backup and recovery for all data in Microsoft 365 and users’ endpoints.

Hornetsecurity Inc. is based in Pittsburgh, PA with other North America offices in Washington D.C. and Montreal, Canada. Globally, Hornetsecurity operates in more than 30 countries through its international distribution network. Its premium services are used by approximately 50,000 customers including Swisscom, Telefónica, KONICA MINOLTA, LVM Versicherung, and CLAAS.

 

Media enquiries

Please contact us on press@hornetsecurity.com.