M86 Security is a provider of secure Web gateways as well as Web and email content security. Osterman Research is a United States-based research house focused on gathering information from IT decision makers and end users of information technology.
The study was done online in May 2011 and represents a cross-section of industries, with 92 per cent of respondents as decision makers and influencers in their organisations' IT departments.
The survey was conducted to assess how serious the malware concern was in today's state of global cybercrime.
The report shows that malware problems continue to rise, with 27 per cent of respondents stating that malware problems increased in the past 12 months.
"What's surprising is the degree of complacency (often driven by lack of budget or adequate information) these companies exhibit in light of the increase and complexity of the recent cyber attacks - even among those tasked with caring for data, which can include customer information and intellectual property, said president of Osterman research Michael Osterma.
"The pervasiveness of malware demonstrated in this study indicates a real need for businesses to educate themselves on the latest threats, in order to protect against serious security breaches," he added.
CEO of M86 Security John Vigouroux said: "Cybercrime as a 'business' has exploded," and added many organisations provide an "open door to cybercriminals on antiquated security technologies".
He also said a "majority of businesses felt they were better protected than other organisations whilst experiencing the same number of attacks as their peers".