Security Top Network Concern Among IT Pros

IT professionals rank network data security as their primary network-related concern, according to a recent poll.

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) announced this week that its Web poll, conducted from June 3 through Aug. 25, showed that one-third of IT professionals believe that securing their networks and data is their biggest concern.

Human error ranked second among the 934 IT professionals who responded, with nearly 20% of respondents citing it as a major concern. Just over 12% of respondents said that data storage is a top concern, while an equal number said that the ability to hire and keep quality staff is a main concern.

Respondents also said that having current network technologies (6.4%), having reliable and secure wireless access (5.7%), and network virtualization (3.7%), ranked high on their list of concerns.

Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO of CompTIA, said that security should rank as a top concern for IT professionals in all industries because poor security can harm businesses on several levels.

"Organizations continue to invest more resources in securing applications, data and networks, and with good reason," Thibodeaux said in a statement. "Every security breach has the potential to materially impact the business, through lower employee productivity, lost revenue, higher costs, negative publicity, or loss of customer confidence."

Thibodeaux said it is critical for organizations of all sizes, in all industries, to obtain and maintain multilayered security systems that leverage both technology and education.