Increase in spyware infiltration.

Spyware infiltration continues to rise in corporate networks but Webroot survey finds companies still neglect growing threat.

Results show less than 10% of responding corporations believe they have deployed an enterprise-class anti-spyware solution. Corporations are experiencing a steady infiltration of spyware into enterprise networks, but only a small number have deployed an enterprise-class solution to combat the threat, according to a new survey conducted by Equation Research for Webroot Software, a producer of award-winning privacy, protection and performance software.

The survey, which canvassed more than 275 IT managers and executives in the United States, found that even as IT organisations spend more time fighting spyware, very few corporations are deploying corporate solutions against the growing threat. According to the survey, more than 70 percent of corporations have expressed an increased concern with spyware, but less than 10 percent of businesses have implemented commercially available anti-spyware software. Webroot is now undertaking a similar survey in the UK.

The survey also showed that more than 96 percent felt protected from outside threats using traditional anti-virus and firewall solutions, yet nearly 82 percent report their desktops are currently infected with spyware, with more than a third noticing an increase in spyware infections in the last six months.

Corporations are risking lost productivity and intellectual property to this rapidly growing threat by not deploying a comprehensive, enterprise-strength anti-spyware solution,' said Richard Stiennon, vice president of threat research at Webroot.

Companies need a solution with centralised management to ensure definitions are up to date and scans occur on a regular basis, advanced reporting capabilities to determine the exact nature and location of threats, and the tools to quarantine and remove these threats, all backed by dedicated technical support and threat research teams to offer the most comprehensive level of protection.'

Spy Sweeper Enterprise is a corporate anti-spyware solution that enables orgamsations to detect, manage and eradicate all forms of spyware. Spy Sweeper Enterprise helps companies mitigate spyware-related security risks, reduce mounting support requests, and reestablish computing and network performance.

For enterprises still evaluating the spyware threat and the solutions available to them, Webroot provides two free tools to case the process. The Webroot Corporate Spy Audit tool enables corporations to assess the risk level their orgazusations face from spyware infections. Additionally, the company offers a free 30-day trial of Spy Sweeper Enterprise to allow organisations to test a provej4 corporate anti-spyware solution while also protecting their networks from the dangers of -spyware. The Corporate Spy Audit tool is located at www.webrootdiV.nettentaudit/start."h