Computerworld

Big data policies absent from some A/NZ companies: survey

Sixty-one per cent of 64 Australian and New Zealand IT professionals said their company has no policy

Australian and New Zealand companies are investing in big data but some don’t have a policy to manage it, according to the results of an ISACA survey.

Sixty-four Australian and New Zealand IT professionals responded to a global survey called 2013 IT Risk/Reward Barometer conducted by security association ISACA online in September 2013. A total of 2013 ISACA members from 110 countries took part in the study.

Sixty-one per cent of A/NZ respondents indicated that their company had no policy for the management of big data, while 17 per cent were unsure if their company had one. Twenty-two per cent of A/NZ IT professionals surveyed said their company had a big data policy.

Only 5 per cent of A/NZ respondents indicated that their enterprise is “very prepared” to ensure effective governance and privacy of big data, forty-five per cent indicated that their organisation is “adequately prepared” and 25 per cent said they are “not prepared at all”.

According to ISACA international director Jo Stewart-Rattray, the security of big data hasn’t kept up with the volumes of data enterprises collect.

“Australian and New Zealand IT professionals need to ask the tough questions to make certain their enterprises are taking the necessary measures to ensure that governance issues and privacy related concerns are properly addressed, and their systems are as secure as possible,” she said in a statement.

A/NZ respondents were also asked what their greatest big data challenge is. Twenty-eight per cent cited a lack of analytics capabilities, while 22 per cent said the management of big data was an issue. Fourteen per cent said compliance requirements were their biggest challenge.

Follow CIO Australia on Twitter and Like us on Facebook… Twitter: @CIO_Australia, Facebook: CIO Australia, or take part in the CIO conversation on LinkedIn: CIO Australia