Tripwire Survey: 64% Of IT Profs Don't Communicate Security Risks

Forty-seven percent said collaboration between security risk management and business is poor, nonexistent, or adversarial

PORTLAND, OREGON -- September 5, 2013 -- Tripwire, Inc., a leading global provider of risk-based security and compliance management solutions, today released results from an extensive study focused on the state of risk-based security management with the Ponemon Institute. The study examined the disconnect between an organizations commitments to risk-based security management and its ability to develop the collaboration, communication styles and culture necessary for effective security programs across the organization.

The study respondents included 749 U.S. and 571 U.K. professionals in the following areas: IT security, IT operations, IT risk management, business operations, compliance/internal audit and enterprise risk management.

"Risk-based security is an extremely complex problem where predictability and outcomes are constantly changing," said Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute. "This means that even the most secure and sophisticated organizations experience risk because there are too many variables in play. Effective communication and collaboration across the organization are crucial in mitigating this risk."

Key findings from the survey include:

· 64% said they don't communicate security risk with senior executives or only communicate when a serious security risk is revealed.

· 47% said that collaboration between security risk management and business is poor, nonexistent or adversarial. 51% rated their communication of relevant security risks to executives as "not effective."

When asked why communicating relevant security risks to executives was not effective:

· 68% of the respondents said communications are too siloed

· 61% said communication occurs at too low a level

· 61% said the information is too technical to be understood by non-technical management

· 59% said negative facts are filtered before being disclosed to senior executives and the CEO

"Risk provides the common language that enables a broader business conversation about cybersecurity risks, particularly when dealing with non-technical executives," noted Dwayne Melancon, chief technology officer for Tripwire. "However, it's clear from this report that most organizations are missing the majority of opportunities to integrate security risks into day-to-day business decisions. Changing this paradigm will require security professionals to develop new communication skills so they can talk about security risks in terms that are clearly relevant to the top-level business goals."

For more information about this study please visit: http://www.tripwire.com/ponemon/2013/#collaboration

About the Ponemon Institute

The Ponemon Institute© is dedicated to advancing responsible information and privacy management practices in business and government. To achieve this objective, the Institute conducts independent research, educates leaders from the private and public sectors, and verifies the privacy and data protection practices of organizations in a variety of industries

About Tripwire

Tripwire is a leading global provider of risk-based security and compliance management solutions, enabling enterprises, government agencies and service providers to effectively connect security to their business. Tripwire provides the broadest set of foundational security controls including security configuration management, vulnerability management, file integrity monitoring, log and event management. Tripwire solutions deliver unprecedented visibility, business context and security business intelligence allowing extended enterprises to protect sensitive data from breaches, vulnerabilities, and threats. Learn more at www.tripwire.com or follow us @TripwireInc on Twitter.