Through research based on SEC filing, Joan Goodchild has discovered that data security and breach prevention rank fairly low as a risk factor for most big technical firms. This research examined the risk factors listed in the FY 2009 10-K SEC filings of the largest 100 US public technology companies.
Among security risk, natural disasters, wars, conflicts and terrorist attacks were identified by 55% of respondents as a risk concern and #16 on the list and much higher than breaches of technology security, privacy and theft, which was cited by 44% of the companies, making it 23rd on the list.
This was a surprising result since it had been thought that data security and breach prevention were the focus of risk management; but rather business continuity seems to be driving the majority of worries about natural disasters and conflicts risks.
Aftab Jamil, leader of the Technology Practice at BDO Seidman, the consulting firm that released this research, expresses this concern, "Can they get back on their feet relatively quickly? If you are in the path of a hurricane or an oil pill, can you keep your business going?"
For more details on this business risk and crisis management research, read the full business continuity article.
