For, by David Raanan, CMO, GM, US, Controlguard
Security is the only IT sector that wasn't significantly affected after the tech bubble burst. In fact, it has steadily increased every year since 2001. 2006 is predicted to be a major year for IT security; it will be expanded enterprise wide and change the way corporations are run. Last year was a wake-up call for businesses with data thefts, unregulated use of wireless standards and ever-present computer viruses dominating the headlines. But the main reason IT security spending is increasing significantly comes down to two reasons: the expanding mobile workforce and the growing number of portable devices.
There are currently billions of unmanaged devices like smart phones, laptops, memory sticks and removable media, that are huge liabilities for organizations.
IT security will get a big boost in 2006 to protect every facet of an organization, not just a few applications or departments. A large amount will go to ensuring that mobile devices are protected from an unprecedented amount of vulnerabilities.Against, by John Aisien, vp of product management, Oracle
While IT security budgets are slated to rise in 2006, it will still not be enough to adequately protect a company from security threats. One can even argue that no amount of money will ever be enough to address the full array of security concerns we face in the 21st century.
The additional budget will allow IT managers to explore security solutions that can streamline identity and password management and protect against internal (employee) or external (hacker) data breaches – an issue with which many organizations publicly dealt last year.
While IT managers have the opportunity to enhance their current security systems in 2006, they should continually monitor enterprise need and the latest security challenges. The executive team must be consistently updated on potential risks and lobbied for additional IT budget as new needs and challenges arise. Vigilance is the only way an enterprise can be adequately prepared for the next security threat and efficiently protect its critical data.
