Security now top executive priority across all key IT areas: IDC

Australian business executives have become so concerned about data security that the topic has surpassed all other priorities in all four of IDC's key technology pillars, the research firm has found.

IDC conducts regular surveys of C-suite executives to ascertain their investment priorities and concerns in various areas. Yet while security has traditionally ranked high on the list, the latest IDC Continuum Survey marked the first time that security had topped the list in every key technology area.

Those key areas include mobility, big data, cloud, and social business.

“With a fast-evolving landscape and Australia being one of the top target countries for attackers, Australian companies must invest in security to protect their intellectual property and other assets,” said IDC Australia software and security market analyst Lydie Virollet in a statement.

“This investment needs to be strategic and will primarily be targeted at protecting the network and sensitive data through a combination of integrated solutions.”

Australia has climbed the ranks of the most-targeted countries, with recent figures variously proclaiming it the world's biggest target for phishing, the second most-attacked Web target, a growing target for botnet-driven financial attacks, and a growing source of DDoS attacks as well as a target.

Recognising this growing threat profile, IDC has highlighted three key steps for organisations working to take control of their IT security. These include assessing current security solutions – with a particular eye to consolidation, IDC said while noting that most companies have contracts with an average of 40 security vendors.

The second step is to “establish and anchor” a security budget and contingency funds that is sold to senior executives as an ongoing risk management initiative, with risks prioritised to reflect individual industry risk profiles.

Finally, IDC advises, security vendor or services suppliers should be chosen based on their track record in the same vertical, as well as for their risk-management expertise.

Security beat out priorities including mobile applications and consulting services; big-data visualisation and data sources; cloud platforms and on-premise cloud; and social business collaboration and business applications.

“Security is now a boardroom discussion,” IDC said. “In parallel CIOs are reassessing security requirements across technology, people and process – to meet the needs of a borderless enterprise and the increasing value placed on data.”

This article is brought to you by Enex TestLab, content directors for CSO Australia.

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Tags security risksIDCddosCSO AustraliaLydie Virolletexecutive priorityTop priorities Security

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