Survey points to confidence in leadership and adaptability as cybersecurity threats persist
NEW YORK, June 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Varonis Systems, Inc . (NASDAQ: VRNS ), a pioneer in data security and analytics, released findings from the 2018 Federal Data Protection Report , an independent survey exploring federal attitudes, approaches and confidence levels towards data protection. The survey, which polled 150 federal decision makers across civilian and defense agencies, highlights increasing cyber confidence in response to the elevation of data protection as a top strategic priority.
Most notably, the survey reveals:
- Data protection is cited as a top priority by 82% of respondents.
- 57% of federal leaders indicate they are aware of a data security incident in their agency over the past 12 months.
- 30% who dealt with any security incident say an insider was involved.
- Nearly half (49%) have changed security policies and procedures based on insider threats.
- More than three quarters of respondents are confident their agency has the skills, judgment and experience to protect against a cyberattack (76%).
“Government agencies face threats from external actors and insiders within their own walls. While it’s encouraging that federal decision makers are waking up to the importance of data protection, the danger remains,” said Varonis Federal Sales Director George DeLisle. “Confidence should not mean complacency. Agencies must continue to take measures to lock down their vital information and enact policies and regulations in response to evolving security concerns.”
Other interesting findings include:
- 71% of respondents say inappropriate data access or theft by insiders is a significant or moderate agency challenge.
- 63% say federal compliance measures have helped their agency improve their data protection capabilities.
- 68% strongly agree/agree that their agency fully understands the CDM program and NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
The independent survey on federal government decision makers’ and influencers’ attitudes and awareness surrounding sensitive data was commissioned by Varonis and conducted by Market Connections . Respondents were 150 federal IT and security professionals - 75 from civilian agencies and 75 from defense. The blind online survey was administered over a ten-day period in March 2018.
Additional Resources
- Read the full survey findings: https://www.varonis.com/learn/federal-data-report/
- For more information on Varonis' solution portfolio, please visit www.varonis.com
- Visit our blog , and join the conversation on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn and YouTube .
About Varonis
Varonis is a pioneer in data security and analytics, fighting a different battle than conventional cybersecurity companies. Varonis focuses on protecting enterprise data: sensitive files and emails; confidential customer, patient and employee data; financial records; strategic and product plans; and other intellectual property. The Varonis Data Security Platform detects insider threats and cyberattacks by analyzing data, account activity and user behavior; prevents and limits disaster by locking down sensitive and stale data; and efficiently sustains a secure state with automation. With a focus on data security, Varonis serves a variety of use cases, including governance, compliance, classification and threat analytics. Varonis started operations in 2005 and, as of March 31, 2018, had approximately 6,000 customers worldwide — comprised of industry leaders in many sectors including financial services, healthcare, public, industrial, insurance, energy and utilities, consumer and retail, education, media and entertainment and technology.
News Media Contacts: Rachel Hunt Varonis Systems, Inc. 877-292-8767 (ext. 4247) Mia Damiano Merritt Group 703-390-1502
