Half of IT professionals uncertain of devices on their networks

Advanced Cyber Defence Systems (ACDS) has released the findings of a survey involving 250 IT professionals, summarised in a report titled "Cybersecurity Challenges in 2024: Data Breaches, Open Source Risk and Network Vulnerabilities". The research highlighted significant challenges in the realm of cybersecurity for organisations.

One of the key findings revealed that half of the IT professionals surveyed believe there are devices connected to their network that they are unaware of. This is of particular concern as nearly 60% of respondents admitted that such insecure devices pose a very high or high risk to their organisation. This underscores the criticality of comprehensive device management and monitoring to mitigate potential attack vectors.

Additionally, the report disclosed that over two-thirds of organisations have experienced three or more data breaches in the past 24 months. Moreover, 20% of these organisations took longer than five days to identify a breach. The delayed detection exacerbates the impact of cyberattacks, providing more opportunity for attackers to inflict damage, steal sensitive information, and disrupt operations, which can tarnish an organisation's reputation and financial standing.

The report also addresses the reliance on open source software within organisations. Despite the heavy reliance on these projects for innovation, only 39% of respondents stated that their companies actively fund the open source projects they rely on. A notable incident influencing increased spending in this area was the XZ Utils backdoor vulnerability. Other significant events spurring investment in security defences included nation-state attacks and the MOVEit breach.

Elliott Wilkes, CTO of ACDS, commented on the findings: "A comprehensive device inventory and robust security protocols are crucial for mitigating cyber threats. Advanced solutions, like automated network scanning tools, such as ACDS OBSERVATORY, enhance network visibility and protection. Prioritising these measures significantly reduces the risk associated with unknown or insecure devices, safeguarding critical assets and ensuring operational integrity."

This online survey commissioned by Advanced Cyber Defence Systems (ACDS) and conducted by market research company OnePoll, targeted 250 cybersecurity decision-makers at companies with over 500 employees. It was carried out between 30th April and 8th May 2024, in accordance with the Market Research Society's code of conduct.

Advanced Cyber Defence Systems is a UK-based cybersecurity company founded to bring the technical capabilities of national security to the private sector.