According to an Internet Security Survey conducted by the NZ Employers and Manufacturers Association Northern in November, the range was “conservatively estimated” from the lowest to the median costs of the disruptions reported by 356 businesses, extrapolated across the country’s 123,000 businesses employing more than one person.
About half the sample’s respondents said the cost in the last 12 months was between $500 to $10,000, including rework, lost work, repairs and lost business. “For instance, 91 per cent of companies employing 20 people or less have antivirus software installed compared to 84 per cent of companies employing more than 20 people. Of that relatively modest investment, 55.8 per cent invested five per cent or less on security in 2005 — level pegging with the 55.7 per cent that spent five per cent or less in 2004.