AVG's research shows that:
* 83% agree that having the right level of IT security protection is critical to their business
* 77% say that a security threat could have a significant negative impact on their business
* 55% feel they can make IT security decisions without 3rd party influence
* However, only 48% have a clear IT security policy in place for their staff, leaving most at the mercy of what employees decide to download or access online
* As a result, perhaps not surprisingly, 1 in 4 have experienced a security breach
* Most worryingly, 1 in 7 have no security software or systems in place at all
AVG also asked small businesses whether they expect to see growth in the next five years - 61% of UK and 74% of US small businesses say that they do.