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New Study Shows Most Internet-Dependent Businesses Losing Costly Battle Against DNS AttacksDespite deploying multiple security measures, majority still hit by malware; many predict high likelihood of losing productivity, revenue – even entire business – if they were to experience significant Internet disruption Denver, CO, July 17, 2007: A recent independent study of 465 IT and business professionals has revealed that companies are having to deploy a costly and often complex mélange of security measures to keep their DNS (Domain Name Systems) protected from malicious attackers. Even so, many businesses remain vulnerable, as over half the respondents reported having fallen victim to some form of malware attack. Over one third had been hit by a denial-of-service attack while over 44 percent had experienced either a pharming or cache poisoning attack. Findings showed both external and internal DNS servers were equally vulnerable, as both types succumbed to attacks with roughly the same frequency. Mazerov Research and Consulting – an international provider of technology and market research – conducted the study on behalf of Secure64 Software Corporation.
Internet DependenceThe findings underscore a disturbing trend as businesses are forced to find new ways to protect their IT infrastructure from Internet-based intrusions, yet are placing an incredibly high degree of dependency on continuous Internet connectivity. In this survey of businesses decision-makers, over half (54 percent) explained their companies are ‘totally or extremely dependent’ on uninterrupted Internet connectivity; another 26 percent said their company was very dependent. Only 6 percent said their company was not very dependent on Internet connectivity. Growing business dependence on Internet connectivity is the very vulnerability that allows malware to attack DNS. Reliability, Immunity, Availability Most ImportantNot surprisingly, respondents placed a high premium on being able to count on their DNS to work consistently and to ward off potentially crippling attacks. When asked to name an essential or extremely important attribute of a DNS solution, the top five responses included:
Downtime and Potential Damage, LossWhen asked how long their business could weather being taken offline before significant problems occurred, IT personnel were more sensitive to the issue than those occupying C-suites. According to the study, C-level executives estimated they could withstand losing Internet connectivity for just over two hours (126 minutes), whereas IT managers estimated it would only be 105 minutes before significant problems arose. Other IT personnel – who may be most directly responsible for maintaining Internet uptime – estimated an even shorter timeframe at an average of 72 minutes. Respondents were also asked to assess what the likely impact would be on the health of their business if they were to experience a loss of Internet connectivity for a significant period of time. Maybe most alarming was 12 percent of participants claimed they would be extremely or somewhat likely to go out of business completely. Other responses included:
“IT professionals are clearly facing a Sisyphean task when it comes to keeping their DNS secure,” stated Bob Mazerov, founder and principal of Mazerov Research. “What’s particularly interesting is that most respondents perceived the loss of email and other Web services as being a bigger problem than the loss of DNS. This suggests an enduring lack of focus, attention and awareness among IT and business professionals regarding the important and primary role DNS plays within the infrastructure of today’s Internet-dependent enterprise.”
About the Research StudyMazerov Research & Consulting, LLC of Denver conducted the survey of IT professionals in February/March of 2007. The Internet-based survey was conducted online among 465 respondents nationwide, all with authority in their IT department and authority over DNS; among decision-makers across a breadth of industries from government to manufacturing to media and tourism; and included VARs, Integrators and ISPs. Virtually all economic sectors were included. The survey was also conducted across company size from under $1 million to over $250 million in revenue and from large and small IT staffs. A survey of 465 conducted using this method yields a margin of ± 4.5 percent. Complete survey results are available on the Mazerov Research & Consulting Web site at www.mazerovresearch.com.
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