Juniper Networks, leader in AI-driven network solutions, recently announced the findings of an international market research project. According to the company’s initial findings, traditional approaches to network security are amplifying budget challenges in an increasingly remote workforce.
Juniper Networks commissioned the research from the independent Vanson Bourne agency, which explores the perspectives, attitudes, and concerns of 1,000 senior IT security and networking professionals, drawn from industry sectors worldwide. While IT professionals have always been worried about security on their networks, it’s shocking how much these groups have struggled to secure things properly in 2020.
The study collects insights from 1,000 senior IT security and networking leaders across July and June this year. The leaders represent organisations with more than 1,000 employees from various industries.
What’s Happening to Network Security?
The research indicates that network security is a growing issue for IT teams, particularly in the current climate of wide-scale remote working. The task of developing new opportunities is further complicated by issues with network performance, and problems with upgrading.
An added challenge often occurs in a company’s positioning of security as a drain on resources, rather than an essential benefit. The solution companies need seems to lie in a solution that provides better visibility in the network, more accuracy, and widespread policy enforcement.
The study revealed that 97% of respondents are experiencing ongoing challenges in attempting to secure organisation networks properly. These IT challenges were significant before the sudden remote work increase. However, they’re now more worrisome than ever, highly motivated by bad actors that constantly innovate and take advantage of opportunities to remain undetected.
86% of participants felt that they needed to improve network performance and reliability. In the current landscape which demands remote working for larger numbers of employees, the network is essential to any company undergoing digital transformation. To be completely effective, security deployments must integrate fully into the network. Around 47% of IT employee time goes towards “keeping the lights on” rather than pursuing innovation.
Better Visibility and Security Perspectives
87% of the survey participants said they’re seeking a security solution to offer better visibility over existing apps, reducing the risk of false positives, and improving response times. Security and IT teams lack time, making false positives even more frustrating. The result could be less time to deal with genuine threats. Real-time visibility into the network and data is crucial in this case. Leaders also need to balance the demands of delivering compliance and managing security risks.
