Study Reveals Organizations Lack Control of Their Unstructured Data Assets

According to new research from Varonis Systems Inc. and the Ponemon Institute highlights the need for organizations to control access to unstructured corporate data. Unstructured data refers to electronic information like spreadsheets, documents, presentations, multi-media file, blueprints or any data stored and accessed on file servers and Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices.

According to the survey, 89 percent of survey respondents admit that controlling access to unstructured data is very challenging. In addition, nearly 70 percent feel that access to their unstructured data by employees is very often unwarranted, a situation that that they are unable to rectify because they don't have the means to monitor and control access. In fact, 84 percent of organizations say their unstructured data is accessible by people with no business need for access.

Unstructured data comprises the vast majority of digital business assets, so ensuring that access is controlled and governed by business need-to-know is imperative. The rate at which unstructured data is being created means the challenge of managing and protecting it will not only grow, but become exponentially more difficult. This is reflected by survey respondents who collectively show an exploding market need for technology and automation.

Additional key findings of the survey include:

-- 91 percent of organizations lack a process for determining data ownership and 76 percent can't determine who can access unstructured data

-- 61 percent of organizations do not have a process for monitoring which users are accessing unstructured data

-- 84 percent of respondents believe controlling unstructured data access will remain important or get more important within their organization in the next two years

-- 77 percent of respondents note that automating the process of managing unstructured data is currently lacking, with the same percentage indicating that they would likely evaluate such a solution

It is clear that organizations invest many resources, but lack effective IT automation to protect unstructured data. The manual or outsourced processes that are being used are clearly ineffective and time-consuming. Using survey responses and related Ponemon Institute data, the Ponemon Institute estimates that in 2008, there was approximately $3.15 billion of latent demand by businesses in the United States for technology and software to protect unstructured data.

More information on the IT industry can be found at www.SupportIndustry.com