09 Dec 2008
Utimaco issues 2009 IT security forecast
Backsliding Economy, Increasingly Active Regulatory Environment and Shifting Market Needs Will Bring Security to the Forefront
As 2008 - a year in which a record number of data breaches
occurred and over 22 million records were compromised - comes to a
close, Utimaco, the Data Security Company, has unveiled the top
economic, legislative and technical trends that it feels will drive
the IT security market in 2009.
Utimaco predicts that despite advanced technologies, in-depth
solutions and increased regulations, protecting intellectual
property and critical data will remain a major issue in 2009. As
the new year approaches, Utimaco's Chief Product Officer, Malte
Pollmann, has identified several key security trends that will
become-and remain-paramount to IT and security managers across the
vertical market spectrum, including:
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New technologies like cloud computing, virtualization,
and Software-as-a-Service will demand stronger
security
In 2008, adoption of cloud computing, virtualization and SaaS drove
the sharing of corporate data in never-before-seen ways, resulting
in both the immediate exchange of information and increased
vulnerabilities for companies. While businesses will continue to
reap the business benefits of cloud computing and SaaS in 2009,
more powerful encryption policies and technologies will be
necessary to safeguard data wherever it may lie.
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Expanded data security legislation will drive need for
encryption
Although data breach disclosure legislation has been in place in
many states for some time, 2009 will usher in a new wave of
legislation that will forever change the way an organization
handles customer and employee information, intellectual property
and other sensitive data. This year saw the passing of aggressive
data protection legislation by Nevada and Massachusetts and as we
head into 2009, other states are sure to follow with similar
encryption mandates. And, organizations of all sizes, from all
industries, will be forced to take notice. In fact, as recently as
last week, The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission warned
executives at registered financial services firms that they must
maintain their compliance programs despite undertaking cost-cutting
measures and cutbacks should not expose investors, employees and
management to unacceptable risks.
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Identity theft will continue to adversely affect
customer loyalty
Every time customers' personal information is put at risk, loyalty
is jeopardized. The loyalty of customers is directly linked to
companies' ability to safeguard their information. In the year
ahead, companies must assure their customers that proper, thorough
security measures have been taken so that the risk of a breach is
minimal.
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Hard disk encryption will become more accessible for
small and medium enterprises
Gone are the days of handling multiple vendors, operating various
solutions and struggling to manage and budget for all IT security
needs. Through better integration, product simplification and SaaS,
2009 will provide smaller enterprises easier access to hard disk
encryption software. 2009 will usher in a wave of bundled solutions
for the mid-market that will address hard disk encryption,
anti-virus, encryption and DLP needs.
-
IT security investments will provide return-especially
in the downturn
Mounting job losses in 2009 will place data at risk if the devices
of departing employees are not properly encrypted. Economic
downturns frequently lead to disgruntled employees potentially
leaving with data, competitive espionage, and increased liability
claims. As a result, the security spending that was once considered
discretionary will not only become necessary, but also a smart,
worthwhile investment.
"As we look ahead to 2009 we're eager to continue protecting our
customers against a number of threats that can negatively impact
their business," said Pollman. "Utimaco will remain at the
forefront, helping customers best leverage people and technology to
safeguard their organizations."
To underscore these 2009 trends, Utimaco will be conducting a
Regulation Readiness Survey of global organizations and IT security
managers. The survey can be accessed by visiting
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=OB0OSzxGPnfPAw11BakA2w_3d_3d
About Sophos
More than 100 million users in 150 countries rely on Sophos as the best protection against complex threats and data loss. Sophos is committed to providing security and data protection solutions that are simple to manage, deploy and use and that deliver the industry's lowest total cost of ownership. Sophos offers award-winning encryption, endpoint security, web, email, and network access control solutions backed by SophosLabs - a global network of threat intelligence centers. With more than two decades of experience, Sophos is regarded as a leader in security and data protection by top analyst firms and has received many industry awards.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com.