Symantec Survey Finds Less Awareness in Government Infrastructure Policies, Protection

Symantec’s 2011 Critical Infrastructure Protection Survey found a global drop in awareness and engagement as measured by the CIP Participation Index. Symantec reported the CIP Participation Index measured at 82 percent in government protection programs this year, which is a 18 point drop from last year. 

“The findings of this survey are somewhat alarming, given recent attacks like Nitro and Duqu that have targeted critical infrastructure providers,” said Dean Turner, director, global intelligence network for Symantec. “Having said that, limitations on manpower and resources as mentioned by respondents help explain why critical infrastructure providers have had to prioritize and focus their efforts on more day-to-day cyber threats. 

The survey  found the following:

• Lower awareness and engagement in government CIP programs with 36 percent saying they are somewhat or completely aware of  government critical infrastructure plans being discussed in their country compared to last year’s 55 percent.
• A slight increase of companies’ ambivalence toward government CIP programs
• Global organizations feel less prepared than was indicated last year.

“We think that targeted attacks against critical infrastructure providers in the form of Stuxnet, Nitro and Duqu will continue. Businesses and governments around the world should be very aggressive in their efforts to promote and coordinate protection of critical industry cyber networks. These latest attacks are likely just the beginning of more targeted attacks directed at critical infrastructure,” Turner said. 

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