Most Companies Believe Their Sensitive Data Is at Risk

Nearly 70 percent of executives believe that their companies' sensitive information is at risk of data theft. But not all of them are taking the right steps to prevent it, according to a study published earlier today.

In a survey of more than 1,300 corporate executives -- 54 percent of whom have some direct responsibility for security -- security vendor Finjan found that 68 percent believe that their companies' intellectual property and other sensitive information is at risk of data theft. Seventy-three percent are more concerned about data theft than they are about lost productivity due to worms or virus infections.

However, many companies are not doing a good job of defending themselves, according to the study. One quarter of respondents said their organizations have already experienced a data breach; another 42 percent said they aren't sure and cannot rule out the possibility of a breach.

A key weak spot is Web 2.0 technology, Finjan said. In the survey, 46 percent of respondents said their companies have no Web 2.0 policy in place. More than 20 percent of respondent organizations allow all Web 2.0 content, only disallowing "malicious" and/or "unproductive" material.

— Tim Wilson, Site Editor, Dark Reading