The Future of Security

• By Christina Miralla
• Mar 29, 2012

The future of security is always on the minds of industry leaders and developers. As a welcome to all attendees at this year’s ISC West Conference in Las Vegas, an early morning session devoted to the future of the security industry addressed how IT and security convergence in the cloud will create better end-user operability.

While talks of the illusive cloud continue to resonate amongst IT professional circles, now more security professionals are choosing to partner up with IT pros and gravitating toward cloudy pastures.

Moderator Mike Faddis of Microsoft led the discussion about “The State of the Industry: Where Are We Headed?” featuring speakers Jason Bohrer of HID Global, Francis D’Addario of the Security Executive Council, Bill Taylor of the Security Industry Association Board of Directors and Gary Wong of IMS Research.

All added their industry expertise to address the evolving security marketplace and a new consumerization of security full of new opportunities to better understand and in-turn influence end-user purchasing.

The cloud was a major point of discussion as the speakers presented data highlighting the boom of software-as-a-service also known as on-demand software allowing data to be centrally hosted -- typically on the (Internet) cloud. Both IT and security must work together to balance mobility and security. IT experts understand how to leverage the cloud and security professionals must think about the best way to take advantage of IT professionals’ expertise.

Panelists addressed the increased use of smart devices such as iPads, Tablets and smartphones, and presented the staggering statistics that by 2016 approximately 2 billion people will have access to a smart device.

With such high figures, security professionals need to create use of smart devices for home and work providing mobility and flexibility to end-users. IT and security pros need to work together to provide safe access across various levels of smart device use creating a level of transparency that aids customers. To meet demands of future end-user needs, the security and IT industries need to open up dialogue to maintain standards that allow end-users more flexibility and interoperability.

As the worlds of IT and security merge, they will enable a better end-user experience. And as questions continue to linger in regards to where the future of security is heading, at ISC West, the answer is in the cloud.