Research

Numbers: IDC Study Shows Increased Concern for Security in Europe

France, Italy and Germany expect the highest increases in security spending this year

By Kathleen Carr

April 01, 2003 — CSO — Despite the proliferation of cameras on street posts to monitor pedestrians and traffic in European cities, a recent IDC study shows that security investments in the United States are four times as high as they are in Europe. But that is changing. Security was recently cited as the number-one concern of IT professionals in Europe.

France, Italy and Germany expect the highest increases in security spending this year41 percent, 33 percent and 33 percent, respectively. European industries will increase security budgets, citing the increasing complexity of risk management. Government agencies will increase security spending by 41 percent in 2003, utilities will increase by 36 percent, and banking and finance follow with a 34 percent increase.

Carla Arend, an analyst at IDC (a sister company to CSO's publisher), reports that security investments are gaining traction in Europe. In general, European corporations are adopting the same trends as those in the United States, but they're approaching security with a different intensity and focus. Currently, regulation and Internet usage are the main drivers for security in Europe. European corporations are concentrating on improving mobile securityemployees are demanding access to corporate information anytime, anywhere.

Security adoption in Europe

Antivirus 99%

Firewall software 79%

Hardware-based firewalls 69%

Encryption 52%

Monitoring employee Internet and e-mail use 49%

Intrusion detection 46%

Biometrics 6%

Source: IDC's "European Security Products & Strategies Service" and "Building Secure EnvironmentsEuropean Corporate Infrastructure Survey, 2002." Respondents: 419 CIOs and other individuals responsible for I.T.

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