Are UK SMEs forsaking security?

A new study carried out by Redshift Research reveals that small businesses in the UK are not prioritising security.

Over one-third of the respondents said that security was an area of minimal investment or one that could be cut when necessary, and many instead are investing in IT infrastructure. Whilst almost all companies surveyed used basic measures such as anti-virus software, relatively few used protection against portable memory device access or web filtering.

It is important to note, however, that this survey does not seem to take into account that investment into IT infrastructure may include a mix of updates, or which security is part. The danger there, of course, is that the particular mix available from a managed services provider does not include the security measures suitable for businesses on an individual level. This would explain the lack of appropriate protection for some SMEs.

The key is to find a managed services provider that gives businesses a range of options in the mixture of services available, in order to provide the best services for each individual organisation. Taking a managed service approach will help to keep requirements flexible, meaning that cost efficiency is paramount.