Symantec launches benchmarking service

Symantec says small firms are just as open to security risks as their larger cousins

Security giant Symantec has launched an online benchmarking service for small businesses, designed to show them how their security efforts measure up against those of 700 peer firms across Europe.

The Symantec Small Business Check-up is a simple online questionnaire which allows firms to check how vulnerable they are to security risks, before advising which areas may be most exposed.

Most small businesses are just as susceptible to information risks as large organisations, with more than a third having little or no ability to track and audit the way information is created, modified, deleted, accessed and moved, according to Symantec.

A similar number have not tested the effectiveness of their backup and recovery arrangements, the vendor said.

“IT budgets are under pressure as organisations of all sizes try to cut back in the current economic climate,” said Glenn Woolaghan, Symantec’s European senior director for small business.

“We believe that almost every small business can save significant amounts of money and energy by simply taking a fresh look at the way they approach information protection. The Symantec Small Business Check-up is designed to show them just how easy and cost-effective it can be to ensure their information is completely protected.”