APAC firms unprepared for wearable tech in the workplace: ISACA survey

• 55% have IoT plans in place or in next 12mths, but almost half not ready for wearables
• Security threats and data privacy the biggest challenges around connected devices

HALF of Asia Pacific IT departments or workplaces need to prepare for the invasion of wearable technology, according to global IT association ISACA.
 
New research from the association, from a 110-country survey of ISACA members, saw 55% of Asia Pacific members saying their organisation has plans now in place to leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) or expects to create plans in the next 12 months, but then almost half are not ready for wearable technology.
 
Nearly half (48%) say their ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) policy does not address wearables, and a further 28% do not even have a BYOD policy in place.
 
ISACA’s IT Risk/ Reward Barometer examines attitudes and behaviours related to the risks and rewards of key technology trends, including the IoT, big data and BYOD, the association said in a statement.
 
The 2014 Barometer consists of two components: A survey of 1,646 ISACA members who are IT and business professionals around the world, including 279 in the Asia Pacific region; and a survey of more than 4,000 consumers in four countries: Australia, India, the United Kingdom and the United States.
 
The Barometer found that nearly half of ISACA members in the Asia Pacific region believe the benefit of the Internet of Things outweighs the risk for individuals (48%), while nearly a third believe the risk outweighs the benefit for enterprises (30%).
 
Nearly half (47%) of respondents believe the biggest challenge regarding the Internet of Things is increased security threats, while a quarter (27%) are most concerned about data privacy issues.
 
Seven in 10 say they are very concerned about the decreasing levels of personal privacy. According to respondents, the top two concerns that individuals should have about connected devices are not knowing who has access to the information collected (24%) and not knowing how the information collected on connected devices will be used (23%).
 
Yet while the risks are significant, respondents also said their enterprises have achieved value from the IoT, with 41% reporting that it gives their business greater access to information and a third (34%) saying it has improved services in their organisation.
 
Around half hope to benefit in the future from lower costs (48%), increased customer satisfaction (47%), and greater efficiency (47%) as a result of connected devices (click infographic below to enlarge).

“The Internet of Things is here, and ISACA research shows wearable tech in the enterprise is expected to surge, as more than half of consumers in most regions have a wearable device on their wish lists,” said Prof. Frank Yam, an international director of ISACA and chief executive officer of Focus Strategic Group Inc.
 
“We need to be prepared for the risks these devices pose, while also leveraging the benefits. ISACA recommends an ‘embrace and educate’ approach,” he added.
 
ISACA recently established the Cybersecurity Nexus (CSX) as a resource that enterprises and security professionals can turn to for security advice. Additional information can be found at www.isaca.org/cyber.
 
For a full survey report, including related infographics, video and global results, visit www.isaca.org/risk-reward-barometer.
 
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