IT managers weighed down by using too many security products

A desire for easier management of IT security is being undermined by complex security purchasing strategies, according to research by Ipsos MORI, commissioned by security vendor McAfee.

Despite IT managers demanding a single view of IT security, the use of too many security suppliers and products are weighing down businesses, according to the report.

The study of 600 businesses across six European countries (UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and Italy) found that while more than three quarters (77 per cent) of those questioned would like to have a single view of the security of their IT infrastructure, nearly a third (29 per cent) currently use four or more management consoles and a quarter (24 per cent) of firms questioned have five or more different security suppliers.

'Managing a range of different solutions from a range of vendors is a headache. It is also inefficient and expensive,' said Aminah Gianfrancesco, European director of system security at McAfee.

The research reveals that in addition to multiple vendors, many businesses are deploying a large number of security solutions across their organisation. Nearly a third (30 per cent) have five or more security products deployed while one in five (22 per cent) of companies questioned have seven or more different solutions.

UK companies use the most security solutions in Europe with 44 per cent deploying five or more and nearly a third of enterprises questioned using seven or more.

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