It"s not a shock to learn that malware infections can cost money and time to fix, but just how much time and cash is lost dealing with these kinds of cyberattacks? Microsoft decided to find out in a new study that it commissioned from research firm IDC.
The result of the study claim that worldwide, consumers will spend a total of 1.5 billion hours, along with $22 billion, in finding, fixing and recovering from malware attacks. Businesses will spend $114 billion worldwide with dealing with its own malware issues. IDC interviewed 2,077 consumers and 258 IT managers around the world for the study, along with checking out 270 websites and peer-to-peer networks, 108 software downloads, and 155 CDs or DVDs.
One interesting part of the study revealed just how much unauthorized software is downloaded and installed on a PC by an employee at work. Microsoft said:
Although 38 percent of IT managers acknowledge that it happens, 57 percent of workers admit they install personal software onto employer-owned computers. What is alarming is that respondents told IDC that only 30 percent of the software they installed on their work computers was problem-free. Sixty-five percent of IT managers agree that user-installed software increases an organization’s security risks.
The study was commissioned as part of the new Play It Safe campaign to education both consumers and businesses on the dangers of installing malware or counterfeit software.
Source: Microsoft
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