Retail IT departments are getting the basics right when it comes to IT security, despite less board-level support than their peers in other industries.

Retail IT departments are getting the basics right when it comes to IT security, despite less board-level support than their peers in other industries.

Only 72 per cent of retail staff responsible for information security believe their boards regard it as a high priority, compared with more than 90 per cent in financial and professional services and 100 per cent within the utilities sector.

The figures are contained within the influential Information Security Breaches Survey, which is conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers on behalf of the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (formerly the DTI).

IT security should have a high profile within retail because of the introduction of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, which governs how retailers process and hold payment card data.

All retailers surveyed encrypt data sent over wireless networks and also encrypt payments on their web sites. The industry scored highly in its use of anti-virus and anti-spyware systems and in backing up critical systems and data.

Only 35 per cent of retailers have reported a security breach in the past year, compared with a 45 per cent average. However, 7 per cent of retailers detected an unauthorised outsider within their computer network, compared with a 4 per cent average.

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