Infonetics Research: Content security market faring well despite, and because of, economic turmoil

Another press release here and this time its good news. Despite this current financial climate it seems like security companies are still going well.

Read on....

CAMPBELL, CA, Dec 11, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Two new reports from market research firm Infonetics Research provide strong evidence the content security market will fare well during the recession, as the drivers for buying content security products remain strong, if not increase, during economic downturns.

Infonetics' Content Security Appliances and Software report tracks and forecasts content security vendor revenue and product shipments quarterly, while User Plans for Content Security is a survey that uncovers the content security buying plans of 240 small, medium, and large organizations from various vertical markets. Together, the reports indicate the content security market is healthy from both the end-users' and the vendors' point-of-view, due to strong drivers including:

--  Regulation and compliance (a driver rising in importance in
   Infonetics' user survey)
--  Explosive growth in the number, variety, and volume of threats
--  Security investment as a cost-saving measure
--  Service provider spending on security
--  Reactive product buying to solve immediate security issues

"The global economy is hurting right now, but we expect content security overall to be a bright spot, not just despite the turmoil, but in part because of it. History shows that a negative economy stimulates security threats, resulting in an increased need to protect against them. As a result, we've actually upped our 2008-2011 content security forecast total by 2% in our quarterly forecast report," said Jeff Wilson, principal analyst for network security at Infonetics Research.

Highlights from Infonetics' Content Security Appliances and Software report:

--  The worldwide content software and appliances market increased 6.6%
   from 2Q08 to 3Q08, to $516 million, led by strong sales in all world
   regions, especially North America
--  Websense leads the overall content security market (appliances and
   software) in 3Q08, and Blue Coat leads the content security appliance
   segment
--  Cisco's posted the strongest gain in 3Q08, increasing its content
   security appliance revenue 21%

Highlights from Infonetics' User Plans for Content Security, North America 2008:

--  Symantec, Cisco, and McAfee were named by study respondents as the top
   three content security manufacturers in an open-ended question
--  Cisco scored higher than other content security vendors in 5 of 7
   criteria, including security, technology, service and support, management,
   and financial stability, although they score lowest in pricing, which could
   be an Achilles heal in this market
--  Cost is the number-one barrier affecting customer deployment of new
   content security solutions
--  Preventing data leakage is high on the list of drivers for buying
   content security products, and is a particularly interesting segment to
   watch
--  Performance requirements for content security gateways are on the rise
   in general, due in large part to increased threat volume

Infonetics' Content Security Appliances and Software report provides market size, market share, forecasts, and analysis for content security gateways, broken out by software and appliances, including messaging, Web/malware, and integrated appliances. The service tracks BlueCoat, Cisco, Citrix, McAfee, SonicWALL, Symantec, Trend Micro, Websense, and others.

Infonetics' User Plans for Content Security study provides in-depth analysis on organizations deploying content security over the next 2 years, and their plans for protecting against Web, IM, and e-mail threats, and from viruses, spyware, malware, data leakage, and other content-related attacks. The data is based on interviews with purchase decision makers at 240 organizations from a wide variety of vertical markets. The study covers trends, drivers, barriers, product and service preferences, expenditures, a manufacturer scorecard, and more.

For report highlights, log in to Infonetics' online portal from www.infonetics.com (see Network Security). For sales, contact Larry Howard, vice president, at larry@infonetics.com or +1 (408) 583-3335.

Infonetics Research ( www.infonetics.com) is an international market research and consulting firm serving the communications industry since 1990. A leader in defining and tracking emerging and established technologies in all world regions, Infonetics helps clients plan, strategize, and compete more effectively.