Ensono Study Finds IT Security is a Priority for Maintaining Consumer Trust

A new survey reveals organizations lack consumer confidence in their ability to keep personal data secure when shared online

Ensono released new data today that exposes the public’s distrust with organizations’ ability to keep their information secure that is shared online. The study surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers aged 18-65 about their concerns with sharing data online when interacting with government organizations, as well as retail, healthcare and insurance companies, proving companies need to prioritize top security measures in their IT environments to gain consumer trust.

“When helping our clients design an IT environment that’s suitable for their individual business needs, maintaining data security is a top priority,” said James Cermak, senior product manager of security at Ensono. “Our goal for this study was to identify consumer security concerns and to emphasize the importance of creating an IT environment with consistent security controls.”

The study revealed a lack of trust in the public sector’s ability to protect personal data with 78% of respondents having avoided sharing information online to limit the government’s access to their data. As the U.S. prepares for the presidential election this November, confidence in the integrity of government data storage is imperative for the public’s trust in the outcome.

Other public sector key findings include:

• 50% of U.S. citizens think outside hackers are the biggest security threat for the public sector; compared to 29% who think employee error is the biggest threat and 21% who think outdated technology is the biggest threat.
• 64% of respondents think voting online has the highest potential for voter fraud, although 84% of respondents would register to vote online for the 2020 presidential election if it was available to them.

Looking at the private sector, the retail industry has seen an ecommerce boom with stores shut down during the pandemic, and the same can be said for healthcare services, as patients no longer want to enter hospitals for routine appointments to avoid COVID-19 exposure. The need for online claim filing is also accelerating digital transformation for the insurance industry, typically a technology laggard. However, Ensono’s data found shoppers, patients and insurance members are skeptical of the safety of their banking information or personal health records.

Retail industry key findings include:

• 91% of respondents say a retailer’s reputation around privacy and security influences their decision to shop there.
• 68% have stopped shopping with a specific retailer after a data breach, and 43% of respondents say data breaches are a major threat for retailers.

Healthcare industry key findings include:

• 30% of respondents don’t trust healthcare providers with their personal data when using online healthcare services.
• 84% of respondents believe there is a moderate threat or greater to telehealth data being breached.

Insurance industry key findings include:

• 30% of respondents trust their insurance carrier with their personal data when filing an insurance claim online.
• 83% of respondents believe there is a moderate threat or greater to their data being breached when filing an insurance claim online.

“COVID-19 is changing the way organizations provide services and applications to their users putting a spotlight on the need for organizations to be more agile, and as a result, we’re seeing digital transformation projects accelerated,” Cermak said. “Whether organizations are adopting cloud native or hybrid cloud architectures, the key is to have a risk-based strategy to ensure security controls are effective, monitored, analyzed, and continuously enhanced so that end users have a holistic view of their security.”

Learn more about Ensono’s security practices here.