IT Security

"Given the fact that malicious malware, phishing sites and fake anti-virus software programs are becoming more sophisticated and proliferating at a record pace, it’s hardly surprising that analysts such as Gartner predict that security software and services spending will outpace all other IT areas in 2010."

"Security is clearly a major issue, and the Internet has never been more dangerous. Unfortunately this comes just as we’re experiencing an IP bandwidth explosion. Nielsen research suggests there are already over 10 million UK users accessing the Internet from their mobile device, while the expansion of Web 2.0 and cloud-based services is seeing the blurring of business and personal areas online and the erosion of traditional corporate boundaries.

All this is putting a huge strain on existing security architectures as organisations fight to protect themselves from massive increases in web traffic, more dynamic online content, and growing web threats. Trend Micro, for example, estimates that more than a million new malware samples are being seen every month.

The sheer pace of such attacks suggests those organisations that only focus on the basic security requirements needed to pass audits or compliance tests are leaving themselves wide open to the latest security threats. And although IT security spending is outperforming the rest of the industry, the question CEOs really need to ask is: “is our spend being directed into the right security areas that will really protect our business?”

For many organisations, a past focus on compliance-led security projects has led to a disjointed approach. Firms simply can’t carry on adding single application appliances and hoping that each ‘sticking plaster’ will solve their evolving security headaches.

That’s why it’s time for a smarter approach. At Maxima we believe that organisations now need to move from their traditional and complex layered security systems to adopt a much more flexible architecture based on security consolidation, virtualisation and simplification. Such an approach can offer a secure core capable of running multiple security applications – including next generation firewalls, intrusion prevention, anti-virus protection and support for web-based threats such as spyware, malware and phishing - all from inside a single box with the minimum of latency and optimum performance.

The great thing about security virtualisation is that it can work well for all sizes of organisations, is adaptable and scalable, and can be configured to support your exact risk management needs. We’ve recently worked on approaches for two very different businesses – one, a UK-based global mobile operator that needed a security solution at the core of its network to handle millions of flows of data, the other a UK-based Formula One engineering firm that wanted to refresh its estate with a consolidated approach that included security. Both projects have generated impressive results.

The good news is that implementing a next generation, virtualised security approach doesn’t mean you have to increase your overall spending. We’re finding that organisations that take part in our Security workshop with our consultants can identify a rapid ROI, particularly when they take advantage of our Managed Service approach.

So if you want to reduce your risk in 2010 – and potentially reduce your overall costs – then think Maxima for security.