Small organizations still struggle to stay on top of threats and keep their networks and IT assets safe, even as larger organization lay the groundwork to tackle future challenges, a new survey of security and IT decision-makers reveals. Credit: Thinkstock The security of corporate data and networks is a top priority for companies of all sizes, but the security practices of SMB ( IDGEnterprise organizations are far more likely to have retained a chief security officer (CSO), along with having a dedicated security group. They are also more likely to have deployed security technologies like two-factor authentication or data loss prevention tools than SMB organizations, which struggle to fend off threats from outside including malware and denial of service attacks.These are among the conclusions of the latest IDG Enterprise Security Priorities Survey, which sampled the opinions of 694 security and information technology decision-makers to better understand their thoughts and priorities for 2017. The survey sampled the opinions of security and IT professionals and executives from across industries to assess their concerns and priorities for the coming year. Respondents ran the gamut, from CSOs (16% of respondents) down to rank and file IT workers (5%). The majority (70%) of those we surveyed were manager level employees working in security, information technology, or networking.Recent studies have suggested that security is a top priority and often the top priority for information technology groups. But our survey found that security-driven hiring and organizational structures are more common among larger organizations than smaller ones. In fact, enterprises are almost three times as likely as SMBs (66% vs. 24%) to have a CSO/CISO position. Overall, fewer than half (47%) of survey respondents reported having a dedicated CSO or Chief Information Security officer (CISO) at their firm. To continue reading, click the link below to download the 2017 IDG Enterprise Security Priorities Study. download 2017 IDG Enterprise Security Priorities StudyIDG Related content feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime news analysis China’s offensive cyber operations support “soft power” agenda in Africa Researchers track Chinese cyber espionage intrusions targeting African industrial sectors. By Michael Hill Sep 21, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Critical Infrastructure brandpost Proactive OT security requires visibility + prevention You cannot protect your operation by simply watching and waiting. It is essential to have a defense-in-depth approach. By Austen Byers Sep 21, 2023 4 mins Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe