IT security goes mainstream at RSA Conference

Feb 6, 2007 3:39 PM

           

The annual RSA Conference is showing evidence of a maturing information security industry with an increasing role for big-name companies. The event has developed into an annual gathering for corporate IT pros and a showcase for hundreds of companies, small and large, that market security products and services to businesses.

Security is becoming more structured and part of the IT infrastructure at companies, instead of being added on later, analysts tell USA Today. Companies including Oracle, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Cisco Systems and Intel are vying for a piece of the pie, which may hurt the smaller industry players, they add.

"There seems to have been a recognition among some of the larger vendors that they can make money with security or, more likely, that they're not going to make any money if they don't have security in the future," said Gartner Analyst Ray Wagner. "That's certainly going to hurt some of the smaller vendors."

Case in point: Database giant Oracle for the first time will have a major presence at the RSA Conference. The company will promote its identity management products as well as software to secure the applications it sells to help large enterprises with things like accounting and human resources. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison is slated to deliver a keynote speech at the San Francisco event.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates kicked off the conference Tuesday in a keynote.

"In a lot of ways security is becoming more boring," Andrew Jaquith of the Yankee Group tells USA Today. "But boring is good. Boring means maturation. Boring means you're seeing large companies like IBM have a really rounded out security story. This is good for the mainstreaming of security into the way people run their business."

As products have become more mainstream, so have the RSA attendees. The bulk of the event is geared to less specialized visitors. "Security concerns are moving away from tech geeks with pocket protectors monitoring networks in a back closet somewhere, to something that business managers and more senior folks are concerned with," says George Tubin, an analyst with TowerGroup.

Of the more than 340 exhibitors at the RSA Conference in San Francisco's Moscone convention center, many companies in the security arena are using the event to announce new initiatives, products or product updates.

Protection from internal threats, such as accidental or malicious disclosure of confidential information, is expected to be a major topic this week. Websense is expected to unveil its new Content Protection Suite and McAfee also is entering the space crowded with smaller players such as Vontu, Code Green Networks and GTB Technologies.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

SUBSCRIBE

Select an Issue April 1, 2008 March 1, 2008 February 1, 2008 January 1, 2008 December 1, 2007 November 1, 2007 October 1, 2007 September 1, 2007 August 1, 2007 July 1, 2007 June 1, 2007 IP Security Supplement May 1, 2007 April 1, 2007 March 1, 2007 February 1, 2007 January 1, 2007 School Security December 1, 2006 November 1, 2006 October 1, 2006 September 1, 2006 August 1, 2006 July 1, 2006 June 1, 2006 May 1, 2006 April 1, 2006 March 1, 2006 February 1, 2006 January 1, 2006 December 1, 2005 November 1, 2005 October 1, 2005 September 1, 2005 August 1, 2005 July 1, 2005 June 1, 2005 May 1, 2005 April 1, 2005 March 1, 2005 February 1, 2005 January 1, 2005 December 1, 2004 November 1, 2004 October 1, 2004 September 1, 2004 August 1, 2004 July 1, 2004 July 1, 2004 June 1, 2004 May 1, 2004 April 1, 2004 March 1, 2004 February 1, 2004 January 1, 2004 December 1, 2003 November 1, 2003 October 1, 2003 September 1, 2003 August 1, 2003 July 1, 2003 June 1, 2003 May 1, 2003 April 1, 2003 March 1, 2003 February 1, 2003 January 1, 2003 December 1, 2002 November 1, 2002 October 1, 2002 September 1, 2002 August 1, 2002 July 1, 2002 June 1, 2002 May 1, 2002 April 1, 2002 March 1, 2002 February 1, 2002 January 1, 2002 December 1, 2001 November 1, 2001 October 1, 2001 September 1, 2001 August 1, 2001 July 1, 2001 June 1, 2001 May 1, 2001 April 1, 2001 March 1, 2001 February 1, 2001 January 1, 2001 December 1, 2000 November 1, 2000 October 1, 2000 September 1, 2000 August 1, 2000 July 1, 2000 June 1, 2000 May 1, 2000 April 1, 2000 March 1, 2000 February 1, 2000 January 1, 2000 December 1, 1999 November 1, 1999 October 1, 1999 September 1, 1999 August 1, 1999 July 1, 1999 June 1, 1999 May 1, 1999 April 1, 1999 March 1, 1999 February 1, 1999 January 1, 1999 December 1, 1998 November 1, 1998 October 1, 1998 September 1, 1998 August 1, 1998 July 1, 1998 June 1, 1998 May 1, 1998 April 1, 1998 March 1, 1998 February 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 December 1, 1997 November 1, 1997 October 1, 1997 September 1, 1997 August 1, 1997 July 1, 1997 June 1, 1997 May 1, 1997 April 1, 1997 March 1, 1997 February 1, 1997 January 1, 1997

This month in Access Control

• Opening Up About Door Closers
• An Enterprise Approach
• The Framework For Open Systems
• On A Higher Plane
• More from April's issue