Survey shows IT pros don't see spyware, IM as problems

The survey, conducted by research firm TheInfoPro on behalf of Secure Computing Corp., queried 111 enterprise IT managers from a variety of industries in February.

Seventy percent of survey respondents said spyware either wasn't a problem or just a minor problem.

Employees often unwittingly download spyware on their PCs when they install peer-to-peer file sharing applications, but 90 percent of respondents don't see file-sharing software as a threat.

And despite the security risks associated with instant messaging, 90 percent see it as no problem or only a minor issue.

The survey, called Hidden Hazards: Business Attitudes Toward New Internet Security Threats," is available at www.securecomputing.com/pdf/hiddenhazards.pdf