As covered in this blog space last week, AVANT has launched its latest 6-12 Report. This one is on IT Security. The mission of the 6-12 Report is to provide the enterprise decision maker with a detailed assessment of the featured technology so that they can make an educated decision on whether to pull the trigger on that technology within the next six to 12 months.
IT security runs a little differently.
Enterprise decision-makers no longer need much help in assessing whether they need IT security. They do need IT security, and they know that. The key question is whether they have the right types of security products to meet their needs, and have they left any gaps waiting to be discovered by intruders.
I’m going to go out on a limb here, and say that, in most cases, they have indeed left gaps in their defenses. A diligent read of the 6-12 Report is likely to help them identify those gaps, or at least contribute to a very enlightening conversation with their Trusted Advisor.
That Trusted Advisor will be able to do one of two things. They will either have the necessary experts on their payroll to help customers deal with the constantly shifting challenges of IT security, or, more likely, they will have an alliance in place with a managed security service provider (MSSP) or other security firm that is fully focused on these issues. This is a market space that changes so rapidly that this intense level of focus is a practical necessity.
It’s like nothing else.
Virtually any other technology you buy, which worked yesterday, will likely work just as well today or tomorrow. Fast-forward through a lot of tomorrows and that technology will eventually need to be replaced. But security moves a lot more quickly than that. Something that keeps you perfectly safe today might become neutralized by tomorrow’s latest zero-day threat. And unless you make a lifestyle out of tracking IT security issues, you probably won’t know it. That’s where the subject matter experts come in.
At the same time, you still need to develop your understanding of attack surfaces, attack vectors and a host of other related aspects in order to remain conversant in what it takes to protect your company. The continued development of your awareness will be necessary.
The 6-12 Report from AVANT Research & Analytics can help. It’s built from data derived by AVANT in our normal course of business, as well as survey data, broad market research data from other providers, and feedback from some of the foremost experts in the featured technology.
And while we hope that you will consult with one of our allied Trusted Advisors, it is nonetheless available free of charge.
So, take a download, give it a read, talk it over with your colleagues and with your Trusted Advisor. The outcome of this process will go a long way towards protecting your company, your customers, and, potentially, the stability of your own career.