Asian spending on IT security to grow sharply: IDC

SINGAPORE (AFP) Nov 21, 2003
Spending by Asia-Pacific countries on information technology (IT) security will rise sharply in the coming years due to growing Internet usage and increased business uncertainty, a study showed Friday.

Spending on security solutions including software, hardware and services in the region, excluding Japan, is estimated to hit 1.7 billion dollars this year and grow 25 percent yearly to 4.1 billion dollars in 2007, IT research house IDC said in a statement.

Organizations must invest more in security as a result of the thriving Internet economy and worries generated by war and terrorism, said IDC.

Greater China and the Australia-New Zealand area are expected to take the lead in the Asia-Pacific region this year, followed by Southeast Asia and South Korea.

"Businesses today need to provide their customers with the continuity, speed and flexibiity required to perform their day-to-day operations, either in an online or offline environment," IDC analyst Robin Giang said.

Failure to adopt multiple layers of security "is risky and reckless," he warned.

SPACE.WIRE