The weakest link in the security chain? You

Human error was responsible for nearly 60 per cent of information security breaches last year, a new study has found.

According to the fourth annual CompTIA (Computing Technology Industry Association) study on information security and the workforce, released on Tuesday, this figure is significantly higher than the number in 2004, when 47 per cent of security breaches were blamed on human error alone.

Despite the prominent role that human behaviour plays in information security breaches, just 29 per cent of the 574 organisations worldwide that participated in the survey said security training is a must for employees. Only 36 per cent of organisations offer security awareness training, the study found.

"The primary cause of security breaches - human error - is not being adequately addressed," Brian McCarthy, chief operating officer of CompTIA, said in a statement. "The person behind the PC continues to be the primary area where weaknesses are exposed."

CompTIA also noted that in the last several years, organisations have equipped themselves with sophisticated security infrastructure that better detect and prevent attacks.

The study found that 96 per cent of respondents use antivirus software while 91 per cent have firewalls and proxy servers, in addition to disaster recovery plans, intrusion detection systems and information security policies.

McCarthy said: "As we get better from a technology standpoint, many organisations seem to believe that technology solutions alone are sufficient to turn back all attacks, and a level of complacency may be setting in."

The CompTIA security study, over the four years it has run, also indicates that virus and worm attacks are a common security concern among respondents. The lack of user awareness, browser-based attacks and remote access, were the next most frequently mentioned security problems.

Aaron Tan writes for ZDNet Asia.