Information Security Spending To Increase

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://www.internetweek.com/story/INW20010612S0001

By Mary Mosquera
InternetWeek Jun 12, 2001

Businesses spend very little on information security now but will
dramatically increase that over the next 10 years, research group
Gartner Inc. said Monday. Information security outlays will accelerate
as companies intensify their Internet presence and at the same time
experience more Internet-based breaches.

Only 0.4 percent of a company's revenue, on average, is dedicated to
information security in the United States. By 2011, however, that
figure will accelerate tenfold to 4 percent of revenue for U.S.
companies, according to Gartner's Total Cost of Ownership Model for
Information Security.

"Enterprises will save a lot of money and headaches if they address
their total security plans now," said Roberta Witty, Gartner research
director.

Gartner's models map the numerous components that comprise the cost of
purchasing, owning and operating technology over the course of several
years or over the life of the technology. Information security
expenditures include costs for people, hardware, software, external
services and physical security for all information security activities
within an enterprise.

"While e-mail viruses and international espionage steal the media
limelight, the palette of security issues spans every business
process, application and desktop," Witty said. Responsible security
practices begin with business planning and carry through to the
technology purchasing, implementation and improvement stages, she
said. "After all, there's no sense investing in locks if you've built
your house out of paper,'' Witty said.

By 2004, 80 percent of enterprises will be using the Internet as an
integral part of their business processes. Half will experience a
financially significant loss due to Internet-borne incidents by that
time, Gartner said.





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