Security is the most important IT issue facing UK businesses, according to a CA survey of 560 IT directors across the globe, with 100% of UK respondents citing it as their major concern.

That is translating into spending: 79% of organisations worldwide intend to invest in IT security over the next 12 months. That was eclipsed only by service management, on which 88% of respondents planned to spend in the coming year.

At the same time, ‘do more with less’ was described as the most urgent challenge by 89% of respondents, followed by ‘cut costs’ (83%) and ‘drive service orientation within IT’ (83%).

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents said they would be using the operational expenditure budget to make efficiency-boosting software purchases.