IT managers need to take a more strategic approach to IT security, one expert has claimed.

Speaking at the start of the Security Forum EMEA, Jonathan Penn of Forrester Research, advised that IT managers should concentrate on creating cost savings through things such as outsourcing and then explain the savings they have made to other managers in a way that can be understood, reports ITweek.co.uk.

He said: "Chief information security officers are asking themselves 'how can I meet the challenges if I don't have the budget or skills in my team that I need?'

"They should be looking at things that aren't too complex but can make a difference."

He added that the current obsession with "tactical issues" increased in efficiency and raised costs.

Last week, a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers revealed that companies could improve IT security by fostering a culture of responsibility among their employees.

It said that having clear regulations in place is only part of the solution.

More than half of small businesses (53%) believe that the most important benefit of outsourcing is guaranteed response times for IT support, London based Connect conducted the research in 2007.