Digital transformation is a fast-growing reality in business. Security however often is seen as a barrier to digital transformation, and thus is brought into the process too late to make an impact. That is according to the IT product company Dell which announced its Digital Transformation Security Survey.
Respondents recognised that IT security teams can serve as enablers in helping the business adopt digital technologies when included early in the planning. Near all, 97 percent of respondents say they are investing in digital technologies including mobile, cloud applications, cloud infrastructures and IoT. While only 18 percent say security has been involved in all of their digital transformation initiatives, 85 percent say that if security teams are included earlier in the project ‒ and many admit they are not ‒ security can better enable those initiatives.
Many organisations don’t realise the extent to which their own business is digitally transforming, Dell suggests. While 89 percent of all survey respondents recognise digital transformation is happening in their industry, only 50 percent believe it’s happening in their organisation. Only 27 percent actually describe their company as “in the middle of a digital transformation.” However, 72 percent express active projects in mobile, with 68 percent involved in cloud projects and 37 percent in IoT – the usual suspects in formal digital transformation projects.
Near all, 96 percent of survey respondents say securing digital technologies poses challenges including lack of resources, risk of a security breach, finding the right balance between security and employee productivity, and loss of control. The survey also showed that while 85 percent of respondents said business users always or sometimes view IT security as a barrier and leave it out of a digital transformation project, the same percentage recognise these teams actually could be digital transformation enablers if brought into the project at the right time.
About the survey
In the survey, by Dimensional Research, 631 IT decision-makers with responsibility for security responded to questions on the impact of digital transformation on security teams. The survey was made across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and the Nordic countries, as well as Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
What they say
John Milburn, vice president and general manager, One Identity Products, said: “This survey produced some eye-opening results and reinforces what we’ve been hearing directly from our customers. Organisations face challenges securing their digital transformations and recognise that their current security measures are exposing the business to risk. Our goal is to provide our customers with solutions that address these needs. When done right, security can enable organisations to aggressively adopt new technologies and practices that can have a direct, positive impact on revenue, profits, employee productivity and the customer experience. Done right, security also helps CISOs open their own ‘Department of Yes,’ empowering them to deliver the strategic projects and innovative initiatives that drive businesses forward.”
