Survey Says Perceived Computer Security Affected By Software Choice
The security suite an organization uses, whether produced by Symantec, McAfee or others, affects the perception of security and perceived risks of users in that organization. While security spending is expected to increase across all organizations and verticals, the specific vendor chosen to provide security may affect the belief in security of users on the network and while at work.
"There is no evidence that one vendor makes a user more secure than another," said Frost & Sullivan Industry Manager Robert Ayoub. "It's interesting to see that some vendors make customers feel more secure."
There is a discrepancy between what consumers state as their security priorities and what organizations spend money on. While most respondents are interested in innovative security solutions, most organizations spend bulks of their budget on traditional products and maintenance and not on piloting new products.
"Considering the damage that could be potentially caused by cyber criminals, it is imperative that organizations align their spending with their priorities," explains Ayoub. "Simply paying lip service to security initiatives will not protect companies from the backlash of a successful attack."
Organizations are beginning to show their dissatisfaction over the current maintenance state of heavy security applications. However, organizational security priorities such as voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and instant messenger (IM) security are not reflected in the spending habits of the same organizations. Though they are expressing interest in mapping security to business process, there is a great deal of indecision about potential security attack protection and expenditure.
Business policy enforcement and regulatory compliance have been the major drivers for security spending, though viruses and e-mails have always been the foremost threat. Security vendors must deliver on real-world business problems rather than perceived theoretical risk. There is a stark increase in awareness level and companies are beginning to understand this risk. This will fuel the demand for security solutions products.