Business Security Information

After reading a survey “Impacts of Current Economic Environment on Security” conducted in January of 2009 by ASIS International, it confirmed a statement I had made in an earlier post titled Are You Experiencing Information Overload?.  In this earlier post I noted that in economic downturns the number of thefts and fraud usually go up as the economy goes down.  The survey participants were chief security officers (CSO) or security managers from a variety of companies.  Most were also from companies with more than 2700 employees which is larger than most small or medium-sized businesses I have dealt with.  The findings of the survey showed 66 percent to 78 percent of the participants agreed that the need for security had increased over the last six months of 2008.  This is the same time the economic downturn started.

According to the survey, the need for increased security was the result of three main things.  The first was just a general increase in crime and theft.  The second was due to employee lay-offs and related issues while the third involved the increase in the theft of physical property.  Other smaller contributors noted in the survey included increases in workplace violence, theft of intellectual property, fraud, and damage to physical property.

What have you seen or found in your own business or organization?  Has the number of security issues increased, decreased or stayed the same?  Does it differ depending on what portion of the country or world you are in?  Lastly, have you seen an increase in both physical theft and related issues, or has it been more related to computer issues of fraud or theft of information?  It is interesting to look at these questions in relationship to today’s economy.

Related posts:

1. Addressing the Most Important Business Security Issues
2. Cybercrime Small Business Survey
3. Are You Experiencing Information Overload?