MessageLabs, a leading provider of integrated messaging and web security services to businesses worldwide, today announces new research which reveals who IT Directors should most fear and favor in the workplace, the angels and demons of business security. To help mitigate these risks, MessageLabs is offering a valuable helping hand to six small businesses with the launch of the MessageLabs Small Business Security Clinic and Makeover.

Based on the insights of almost one thousand UK and US IT decisions makers, the worst culprits of security breaches are junior sales men and women between the ages of 26-35 years old, who are multi-taskers and tech savvy, using applications such as email, instant messenger, VoIP, and the web, in any combination, without considering the potential dangers of dividing their concentration levels so thinly. On the other hand, the angels of the workforce, those most knowledgeable on security matters, are the techies: middle management males between the ages of 26-35 years old who work within the technology function.

“Today’s small businesses need to be vigilant about both external and internal security threats. With almost half of all businesses not providing adequate IT security training and the threat landscape constantly evolving, the battle to protect one’s business from online risks is an arduous one,” said Mark Sunner, Chief Security Analyst, MessageLabs.

This research, conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of MessageLabs, reveals the internal weaknesses small businesses are facing managing external threats. MessageLabs Small Business Security Clinic is dedicated to helping businesses with their IT security needs by providing the resources and education necessary for them to begin to make informed decisions toward becoming more secure.

MessageLabs is searching for six of the most IT security-challenged small businesses in the UK and US to receive a MessageLabs Makeover – 100% protection against email, web, and other forms of converging threats free for one year.

Freeing up six business’s IT departments to concentrate on other activities that are core to business, MessageLabs Email and Web Security will detect and stop all known and unknown threats, keeping organizations safe from spam, viruses, phishing, spyware, and other forms of targeted attacks.

“A business’s best assets and worst threats can be one and the same as the worst offenders are likely to be the best revenue generators. Removing the culprits is obviously not an option, what should be removed is the ability to be a threat,” Sunner said. “Employing a managed services approach to security would be a business’s best appointment and omit the risks and threats hampering other employees.”

Other statistics

• More than 75 percent of all respondents in the US and UK don’t expect spam to ever cease being a problem
• Almost a third of all small business respondents have been impacted by a malware or virus attack
• Only 53 percent of small businesses have the right IT security procedures in place compared to 69 percent of enterprise companies
• More than 40 percent of the companies surveyed did not provide security training to staff
• Less than half of the organizations surveyed, 21 percent in the UK and 41 percent in the US, are confident that employees will not cause a security breach

To enter the competition please complete the questionnaire on http://connect.messagelabs.com/security-clinic by May 11, 2007.

Research overview:

These findings are based on the results of 942 online interviews with IT decision makers across the US and UK. Of the 629 US interviews, 523 were with SMBs while 106 were with enterprise companies. In the UK, 313 interviews were conducted of which 250 were with SMBs and 63 with enterprise organizations. The interviews were undertaken in during November and December 2006 and all respondents were responsible for, or actively involved in, the IT decision-making process for their organizations. For research purposes, SMBs are defined in both markets as companies with between ten and 500 employees. Enterprise organizations have more than 500 employees.

About MessageLabs

MessageLabs is a leading provider of integrated messaging and web security services, with over 15,000 clients ranging from small business to the Fortune 500 located in more than 80 countries. MessageLabs provides a range of managed security services to protect, control, encrypt and archive communications across Email, Web and Instant Messaging.

These services are delivered by MessageLabs globally distributed infrastructure and supported 24/7 by security experts. This provides a convenient and cost-effective solution for managing and reducing risk and providing certainty in the exchange of business information. For more information, please visit www.messagelabs.com.