Thirty-six percent of Asia Pacific (APJC) organizations reported successfully navigating current cybersecurity challenges in today’s remote-first world with software and cloud-first strategies. According to Cisco’s 2021 Security Outcomes Study for APJC, organizations that regularly update their technology were the most likely to report successful security programs.
The global study, which is based on a double-blind, independently analyzed survey, includes 2,110 cybersecurity, IT and privacy professionals across 13 markets in APJC. The results offer specific actions that cybersecurity professionals can take for greater success and help businesses decide where to focus their security efforts this year.
On average APJC organizations that have a proactive, tech refresh strategy are 15% more likely to report overall security success – the highest of any practice. This is most significant in China, where organizations doing this are 31% more likely to report successful security programs, followed by Thailand (30%), Australia (23%) and Japan (20%).
However, not all organizations have the budget or expertise to make this happen, also known as the “Security Bottom Line”. A strategy to migrate to cloud and SaaS security solutions can help close this gap.
The study further finds that APJC cybersecurity programs struggle the most with obtaining peer buy-in, with one-third (33%) of organizations reporting successfully achieving it. This is followed by minimizing unplanned work (34% success); retaining security talent (36% success); managing top risks (37% success), and avoiding major incidents and creating security culture (both 38% success).
Other key findings in APJC from the report include:
- A well-integrated technology stack is the second most important factor for cybersecurity
- Integration is also the most significant factor in establishing a security culture that the entire organization embraces.
- As a standalone practice, IT and security “working together” appears to correlate the least with overall success.
The APJC markets included in Cisco’s 2021 Security Outcomes Study are Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
(This content is surmised from a press release)
