Persistent Worries

Most of the security professionals surveyed have high degrees of concern about protecting information. Just under 75 percent said they're concerned about protecting customer data. Meanwhile, about two-thirds – 67 percent – cite concerns about protecting personally identifiable information, while 56 percent expressed concern about protecting employee data.

There are plenty of reasons for such concern, according to networking giant Cisco. In its annual cybersecurity report, released in January, Cisco said 22 percent of organizations that experienced a breach last year lost customers, with 40 percent of them having lost more than one-fifth of their customer base. Meanwhile, 29 percent lost revenue while 23 percent of breached organizations lost business opportunities.