IT Security second only to Big Data in 2014 IT trends

Data ProtectionIt is no surprise that threats to data security are on the rise.  We are constantly hearing from security companies of new threats and attacks on company’s networks and data.  What we are hearing, though, is from those who stand to make a profit on data protection, whether it be Data Recovery software companies or Anti-virus providers.

I found Sue Marquette Poremba’s article “Security Focus Trends Upward for IT Departments” interesting, as it backs the claims of the security companies themselves.  Below is an excerpt from the article:

Most of the predictions and trend reports I see are from security experts. While I think these predictions are essential for anyone in charge of enterprise network security – it really does help to have an idea of what threats to protect against – it is good to hear about security concerns and predictions from the IT point of view.

What TEKsystems discovered is that security is a rising concern for IT departments. When asked, “Which of the following trends or technology will have the biggest impact on your organization in 2014,” big data came in first, but security moved from third place in 2013 to second place in 2014. Mobile computing also moved up a spot, from fourth to third. It is fitting that security and mobile move together because the two issues are so intertwined. An IT department can’t have a good mobile policy without having a solid security plan built into it.

IT departments also expect to spend on security in 2014. As the IT Industry Forecast survey stated:

As new security threats emerge daily, organizations must continue to focus on information security initiatives in order to protect sensitive data.

That increased security spending should be good news for staff in charge of security for their organization. The survey also found that 65 percent of IT leaders expect security-related salaries to increase this year, up from 40 percent from last year.

Time to Assess your Network

Poremba continues to advise companies to revisit their security policies for 2014, and ensure there is an emphasis on preventing attacks as well as recovering from attacks.  A Network evaluation is a smart choice.

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Learn more about the author Bob Martin