In Matters Of Security, CIOs Are Confident, But Budgets Come Up Short

More than One-Third of CIOs Feel Better Equipped to Respond to Data Breaches than their Competitors

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Sep 15, 2016, 08:03 ET

MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As the prevalence of data breaches continues to grow, many companies are enhancing their IT security efforts, but where do technology leaders see themselves on the data safety scale? A recent survey from Robert Half Technology of CIOs found that 37 percent believe they are better equipped to respond to a security breach than other companies in their industry, while 50 percent feel equally prepared and only 11 percent feel less well-equipped than their competitors. While confidence is not lacking, budgets may be, as one in five CIOs don't feel they have sufficient budgets to keep their organization's information safe.

CIOs Confident in Ability to Respond to Breaches, Less so on Budgets

"For many companies, a data breach isn't a matter of 'if' but 'when,'" said John Reed, senior executive director for Robert Half Technology. "Having the right systems in place to identify and respond quickly to threats is a key priority for organizations across a variety of industries."

CIOs were asked, "Compared to other companies in your industry, do you feel you are more or less well-equipped to respond to a security breach?" Their responses:

About the same	50%
More well-equipped	37%
Less well-equipped	11%
Don't know/No answer	1%
Total	99%

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

CIOs were asked, "Do you feel your security budget is ample enough to keep your organization's data safe?" They said:

Yes	78%
No	21%
Don't know	2%
Total	101%

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

The survey also went on to explore what businesses are doing to educate employees on best practices for preventing breaches. CIOs said one of the most common ways they raise awareness among employees is to conduct regular employee presentations on security best practices. Using gamification or incentives to encourage staff members to follow proper IT protocols was the second most popular response.

CIOs were also asked, "Which of the following are approaches your firm uses to educate employees on best practices for data security?" Their responses:

Conduct regular presentations on security best practices	61%
Using gamification or incentives to enhance and encourage employee education	56%
Mock phishing exercises to test employee knowledge	49%
None of these	21%

*Multiple responses permitted

See an infographic of research highlights.

Noted Reed, "Unintentional error by employees is at the root of many IT security issues, so the more companies do to teach staff how to avoid common problems, the more protected these firms will be."

About the Survey
The survey was developed and conducted by Robert Half Technology and includes responses from more than 2,500 U.S. CIOs in 25 metropolitan areas.

About Robert Half Technology
Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals, specializing in a full spectrum of technology services – from project, contract-to-hire and full-time IT staffing services to managed services and solution consulting. With more than 100 locations in North America, South America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, the company provides highly skilled talent for IT initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. For more information about Robert Half Technology, please visit roberthalf.com/technology. For career and management advice, read our award-winning blog at roberthalf.com/technology/blog.

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SOURCE Robert Half Technology