Security spending stays strong in downturn

Appliance appeal for email and perimeter security

Organisations are investing increasing amounts in data security and privacy systems during the downturn latest numbers suggest, with spending on security software running at a level 18.6% higher than the year-ago period.

Worldwide security software sales hit $13.5 billion in 2008, Gartner Inc said today, compared with revenue of $11.3 billion in 2007. 

“A double-digit growth in a challenging economic climate shows that security remains a key priority for CIOs and IT security leaders,” Gartner’s Ruggero Contu said. The security market did not show any noticeable impact from the economic downturn.

Demand was strong for appliance-based e-mail security boundary and secure web gateway products, as it was for security information and event management systems boxes, which showed growth of 50% over a 12 month period.

Small sector specialists and niche providers not only survived but thrived, nibbling at the market share of the top five vendors. 

Symantec leads the pack with a 22% share of worldwide security software sector, but down from 24.4% for the year earlier. Number two, McAfee experienced the strongest growth rate among the top five vendors, as its revenue increased 20.5% in 2008 the analysts reckoned. Trend Micro, IBM and EMC make up the other top suppliers.

Web access management and endpoint protection have reached maturity Gartner suggested, while new delivery methods like software as a service and host based offerings are helping sustain the market appetite for security software.

In 2009, Gartner predicts that the security software market will start to show signs of a slowdown, but should continue to grow at around 9%.

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