IDC EXECUTIVE BRIEF
Network-Level Security: The Next
Generation of Enterprise Defense
March 2008
www.idc.com
Adapted from Worldwide Messaging Security 2007&(!!#x96!!);2011 Forecast and 2006 Vendor Shares: DLP,
Encryption, and Hosted Services Heating Up by Brian E. Burke, IDC #209602 and Worldwide Web
Security 2007&(!!#x96!!);2011 Forecast and 2006 Vendor Shares by Brian E. Burke, IDC #210034
F.508.935.4015
Introduction
P.508.872.8200
Global Headquarters: 5 Speen Street Framingham, MA 01701 USA
The pure volume of spam continues to rise at a rapid pace, and
malicious attacks are becoming more sophisticated (e.g., blended
threats that combine spam, spyware, viruses, and other malware in
their attacks). This is fueling the demand from enterprise networks
for messaging security hosted services that can block messaging
threats "in the cloud" &(!!#x97!!); before they reach the corporate network.
While antivirus and antispam remain the foundation of messaging
security, growing concerns with data loss prevention (DLP) and
regulatory compliance are driving the need for a more complete
messaging security solution that secures both inbound and outbound
messaging traffic.
This Executive Brief examines the need for network-level messaging
security, in addition to Web security solutions. With the Internet
becoming an increasingly complex threat vector for hackers, malicious
applications, and vulnerability exploits, today's enterprises require a
more holistic and integrated approach for Internet security. This paper
also looks at the need for a Web security ecosystem that includes
network-level protection to combat emerging threats from the Internet.
The Need for Next-Generation Security
Organizations are still battling to defend against the increasing
volume and sophistication of spam, spyware, and malicious code.
The threat environment continues to evolve from a mischievous
hobby to a money-making criminal venture that has attracted a new
breed of sophisticated hackers and organized crime.
The sophisticated hackers of today are less concerned with
destroying systems and knocking out Web sites. They realize that
they can generate money from stealing confidential personal
information and corporate data and selling it to spammers or those
involved in organized crime and fraud. IDC believes this profit-driven
motivation will cause the number of attacks to increase in
sophistication, frequency, and severity.
