IBM will invest $43 million during the next three years to increase the size and scope of its security and identity practice in Canada.
This investment will expand the Security Operation Centre in Toronto and more than double the number of security professionals combating the threat of organized cyber criminals.
IT security is one of the fastest-growing segments of the Canadian information technology (IT) sector, in large part because of organized criminal activity. According to IDC Canada, the security segment of the industry is forecast to grow 8 percent this year over last year, creating a market value in 2006 that will surpass $1 billion for the first time.
“Canadian organizations of all sizes continue to view spam, viruses, spyware and perimeter threats as major IT security issues,” said Joe Greene, vice president of IT Security Research for IDC Canada. “In 2005, IDC surveyed 500 medium and large organizations and over 250 small companies across Canada and these issues are the main focus of IT security programs. However, many still do not have the resources to adequately cope with these threats.”
A recent IBM survey of Canadian IT professionals found similar trends. It revealed that 62 percent of IT professionals are far more concerned about crime over the Internet than they are about physical crime. Today’s targeted e-mails, phishing, worms and viruses are most often attempts by organized criminals to steal identifying information, credit card numbers or other financial data.
IBM’s investment will enhance the level of service for Canadian public sector and business clients concerned about maintaining their security and identity operations and data within Canada.
The IBM Security Operations Centre, which opened in 2004, provides intrusion detection and prevention, access management, content filtering, vulnerability management, identity management, and encryption services and policy enforcement. IBM’s operation allows Canadian clients to receive immediate responses to security incidents and build strategies to react.
“Canadian companies are increasingly aware that IT security is a serious issue that will affect their profits,” said Nicole Stampatori, national practice leader, Security, Identity and Privacy for IBM Canada. “Since we opened the center, our security practice has doubled in size, illustrating that the threat of cyber crime and identity theft is growing and that Canadian businesses, both large and small, recognize it.”
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