Most Businesses Unprepared For Cyberattack

Most businesses unprepared for cyberattack, survey finds

A new survey conducted by the Cybersecurity Association of Italy (CAI) has revealed that most businesses in the country are unprepared for a cyberattack, despite the increasing frequency and severity of such incidents.

The survey, which polled 500 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across various sectors, found that only 28% of them had a formal cybersecurity strategy in place, while 42% had no cybersecurity measures at all. The remaining 30% had some basic security tools, such as antivirus software or firewalls, but lacked a comprehensive approach to protect their data and systems.

The survey also showed that most businesses were unaware of the potential risks and consequences of a cyberattack, such as data breaches, ransomware, identity theft, fraud, reputational damage, legal liability and financial losses. Only 18% of the respondents said they had conducted a risk assessment or a vulnerability analysis of their IT infrastructure, while 32% said they had never experienced a cyberattack or did not know if they had.

According to CAI president Marco Bianchi, the survey results indicate a worrying lack of awareness and preparedness among Italian SMEs, which make up 99% of the country's businesses and account for 67% of its GDP. He said that cyberattacks pose a serious threat to the economic and social fabric of the country, and urged businesses to invest more in cybersecurity and adopt best practices to prevent and respond to such incidents.

\"Cybersecurity is not a luxury or an option, but a necessity and a responsibility for every business in the digital age. Cyberattacks can cause irreversible damage to the reputation, competitiveness and sustainability of SMEs, which are the backbone of our economy. We need to raise awareness and educate businesses on the importance of cybersecurity, and provide them with the tools and resources to protect themselves and their customers,\" he said.

The CAI survey also revealed some of the main challenges and barriers that SMEs face in implementing cybersecurity measures. The most common ones were lack of budget (54%), lack of expertise (48%), lack of time (36%) and lack of awareness (34%). Some respondents also cited lack of support from management (22%), lack of trust in security providers (18%) and lack of regulation or incentives (16%) as obstacles to improving their cybersecurity posture.

To address these challenges, the CAI has launched a series of initiatives to help SMEs enhance their cybersecurity capabilities and resilience. These include providing free online courses and webinars on cybersecurity topics, offering discounted security products and services from its partner network, creating a cybersecurity certification scheme for SMEs, and advocating for more government support and funding for cybersecurity initiatives.

The CAI also plans to conduct regular surveys and publish reports on the state of cybersecurity among SMEs in Italy, as well as to collaborate with other stakeholders, such as industry associations, academic institutions, media outlets and civil society organizations, to raise awareness and promote a culture of cybersecurity among businesses and consumers. ec8f644aee