CIOview eUpdate
Winning the War on IT Security

The threat of viruses, hacking, denial-of-service attacks, terrorism and all kinds of otherworldly evils has propelled spending on computer security to the number one spot on the IT budget for many companies. Yet there are early signs that the security checkbook may be about to get snapped shut, and unless security professionals and the industry at large adjust quickly the era of big spending may come to a rapid close. There are several reasons to believe that the security industry has reached a point of inflection in its growth. Learn more about the security industry outlook from this CIOview White Paper.

As security expenditures commonly exceed 10% of IT budgets, security companies no longer can grow on the basis that an "incoming tide will float even the leakiest of boats." Instead, the market is shifting to a "show me" position where the security vendors will not only be required to show the financial benefit of their products but also show that their financial return is better than an alternative spend. Now products that are not technically competitive are competing for the same financial dollar. In fact, firewalls are competing for the same security dollar as consulting advice for process improvement. As a result, customers increasingly want to see the financial impact of even routine security purchases. Providing this kind of analysis in a timely and digestible way is no small feat. Click here for a SnapShot example of how SecurityNOW! analysis can work for you.

The IT industry is very comfortable with many kinds of product standards and in fact thrives on the predictability that standards provide. Yet when it comes to security services, suddenly we resist the notion of a standard method of analysis. There no question that the top security auditors exemplify the very best aspects of human creativity. However, customers want consistency as well as services from their auditors. Consistency is important to provide a standard deliverable, both in terms of effort and cost. Moreover, it is uniquely important in the security industry since an audit, after all, is a snapshot in time. Without a consistent methodology there is very little value in comparing one time value to another! CIOview has teamed with ISECOM to allow service providers the benefit of a standard methodology while freeing the truly talented security auditor from the job mundane data-collection aspect. Auditors can focus their expertise where it can provide the most value to the customer and, ultimately, to the bottom line of their company. Learn more.

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