Cisco shows IT security outsourcing on the rise

A new study from Cisco has found that users are less confident about their security postures and turning to the channel for help.

According to Cisco’s annual security report, just 45 percent of organisations are confident in their security. The survey also found that 92 percent of organisations agreed that they were expected to manage the company's exposure to cybercriminals.

As a result, enterprises are relying more on outsourcing security services, including consulting, security auditing and incident response. Up to 23 percent of businesses were reliant on outsourcing cybersecurity in 2015, up from 14 percent the previous year. 

Small-to-medium businesses (between 250 and 499 staff) were still the least likely to outsource, with 18 percent claiming they did not outsource any cybersecurity. This is down from 24 percent the previous year as more SMBs looked for flexible tools to secure networks and reign in spending.

By comparison, 12 percent of businesses with more than 500 employees did not outsource at all in 2015, down from 21 percent in 2014.

The most common reason cited for outsourcing from both SMBs and large enterprises was cost-efficiency, with 54 percent. Another 39 percent of respondents also said budget constraints were the biggest barrier to adopting more advanced security process.