SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 22, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proofpoint, Inc., (Nasdaq:PFPT), a leading next-generation security and compliance company, today released the results of its annual study that details the ways attackers exploit end-users' psychology to circumvent IT security. The Human Factor Report 2015 reveals that last year was the year attackers "went corporate" by changing their tactics to focus on businesses rather than consumers, exploiting middle management overload of information sharing, and trading off attack volume for sophistication. The Proofpoint findings reiterate how human behavior, not simply system or software vulnerabilities, has significant implications on enterprise security—and what defenses are necessary in a world where everyone clicks.
As noted by Nick Hayes, Christopher McClean and Claire O'Malley, in the December 17, 2014 Forrester Research report Reinvent Security Awareness To Engage The Human Firewall (access requires subscription), "The human element is one of the most critical aspects of your security program, yet it's often the most neglected…However, this is the problem…Security technologies that are critical to protecting your environment are often rendered useless due to easily avoidable human factors." Yet many organizations still rely solely on legacy gateway-only technologies for protection, rather than utilizing a layered defense strategy of blocking technologies, targeted attack protection and detection technologies, and threat response technologies, focused on people rather than infrastructure.
Key findings from The Human Factor Report 2015 include:
"The Human Factor research validates the critical value of threat information—and provides insight into how, when and where attacks are taking place," said Kevin Epstein, Proofpoint's vice president of Advanced Security & Governance. "The only effective defense is a layered defense, a defense that acknowledges and plans for the fact that some threats will penetrate the perimeter. Someone always clicks, which means that threats will reach users. Proofpoint's approach is effective because our systems can determine who those users are, where they are, and what's happening in real time—and actively protect organizations with real-time automated threat response."
Proofpoint's Human Factor Report is based on data gathered from its suite of advanced threat protection products that are live within customer environments. To receive a copy of Proofpoint's Human Factor Report, please visit www.proofpoint.com/humanfactor.
About Proofpoint, Inc.
Proofpoint Inc. (Nasdaq:PFPT) is a leading next-generation security and compliance company that provides cloud-based solutions for comprehensive threat protection, incident response, secure communications, social media security, compliance, archiving and governance. Organizations around the world depend on Proofpoint's expertise, patented technologies and on-demand delivery system. Proofpoint protects against phishing, malware and spam, while safeguarding privacy, encrypting sensitive information, and archiving and governing messages and critical enterprise information. More information is available at www.proofpoint.com.
Proofpoint is a registered trademark of Proofpoint, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.