There is a significant level of adoption of key digital technologies, with clear business drivers and expected future growth and investment in digital transformation. Often security implications are an afterthought.

Recent research by Dimensional Research, (registration required for a free report) sponsored by Dell, reveals that 97% of large companies — who have from 1000 to more than 5000 employees — are investing in digital technologies to transform their business.

Those technologies include mobile, cloud apps, cloud infrastructure, Internet of Things (IoT) and self-service initiatives.

Mobile led the field with 72% adoption, cloud applications (SaaS) at 68%, cloud Infrastructure (IaaS) at 59%), IoT at 37%, and self-service at 33%. The main area of growth will be IoT where 55% have plans to implement it.

Digital transformation (DT), a much-abused term, means the profound and accelerating transformation of business activities, processes, competencies and models to fully leverage the changes and opportunities of digital technologies and their impact on society in a strategic and prioritised way.

It is driven by many imperatives. Top of the list was increasing employee productivity (75%), business growth (67%), reducing IT cost (59%) and competitive pressures (37%). Australia, being a smaller market, was more focused on the competitive pressure at 47%.

Ironically, it found that many enterprises don’t realise that they are in the middle of digital transformation which tends to reflect the siloed nature of marketing, line of business delivery, IT, and the board.

Dell, as the research sponsor, was interested to find out about the security implications of digital transformation. The research found that 75% felt that security came too late to the process, and 85% felt the process would be improved if it was involved earlier. Only 11% are confident with security.

The key message was that security teams need to be enablers, not blockers, of digital transformation. However, 91% said that it was probably a resource issue.

John Milburn, vice-president and general manager, One Identity Products, said,

“This survey produced some eye-opening results and reinforced what we’ve heard directly from our customers. Organisations face challenges securing their digital transformations and recognise that their current security measures are exposing the business to risk.

When done right, security can enable organisations to aggressively adopt new technologies and practices that can have a direct, positive impact on revenue, profits, employee productivity, and the customer experience.

Done right, security also helps CISOs open their own ‘department of yes,’ empowering them to deliver the strategic projects and innovative initiatives that drive businesses forward.”