Survey data for your security white papers

Survey results are a great way to back up the claims you make in technical white papers and other marketing communications, especially when the survey is published by an independent, reputable source.  I’m  updating a security white paper for a client, and I’ve tracked down a few surveys that were published in late 2009 that I thought would be helpful to security technology marketers. Here they are, in no particular order:

For its Global state of information security survey, PriceWaterhouseCoopers surveyed more than 7,200 C-level executives  to gain insight on the global state of information security midst the current economic downturn.

The CSI Computer Crime and Security Survey 2009 is a US-centric survey based on the responses from more than 400 information security and information technology professionals about their experiences between July 2008 and June 2009.

BankInfoSecurity’s Application Security Survey gauges the efforts of some 100 “banking/security leaders” to secure their business applications. Respondents were asked about their confidence in application security, and their application assessment and testing practices.

Outpacing Change is Ernst & Young’s 12th annual global information security survey. Nearly 1,900 senior executives in more than 60 countries give their input on their security budgets, regulatory compliance efforts, and the technologies they plan to invest in over the next 12 months.

The Deloitte Global TMT Security Survey 2009 takes a look at how the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications (TMT) industry is responding to the economic recession. Social networking threats, regulatory compliance, and privacy are also amongst the key findings.

The Top Cyber Security Risks published by SANS is a report (not a survey) that summarizes vulnerability and attack trends based on data collected from appliances and software implemented in organizations from March 2009 to August 2009. The report highlights the threats that pose the most significant risk to corporate networks, the elements that enable the threats, and countermeasures for mitigating their risk.

– Crystal Bedell, Freelance Technology Writer and Content Developer