Canalys forecasts that worldwide
investments in mobile security will grow an average of 44.2 percent per year
over the next five years, reaching $759.8 million by the end of 2011 and
turning into a $3 billion market opportunity in 2015. According to Canalys figures,
only 4 percent of smartphones and smart pads shipped in 2010 had some form of
mobile security downloaded and installed, suggesting a low user awareness level
and the relative infancy of the market.
Mobile security uptake is
anticipated to rise rapidly over the next four years, as enterprises conform
more strictly to data protection and compliance practices, and consumers understand
the impending security threat to their personal data. Canalys forecasts that by
2015 over 20 percent of smartphones and smart pads will have mobile security
software installed.
Over the next two years,
Canalys said it expects device management to drive adoption of mobile
security-related products, with businesses deploying solutions to track,
monitor and authorize corporate data access, as consumers bring their devices
into the workplace. “These solutions will increasingly be tied to enterprise
app stores, so that only approved apps can be downloaded and only devices with
approved apps installed can access corporate resources,” the report noted.
After that period, the
threat landscape is predicted to become extremely volatile, as more hackers
target mobile devices as a means to financial gain. Enterprises and consumers
alike will increasingly implement mobile security solutions to remove problems
that have already infected their devices, the report warned. This will turn
mobile client security into the main driver, with device management a required
layer in a more complete solution. Canalys expects mobile client security,
which includes antivirus, firewall, messaging security, Web threat security,
VPN functionality and encryption, to grow on average by 54.6 percent each year
to 2015. Canalys said it also expects a strong parallel to emerge between
Android operating system growth and the volume of mobile malware threats, as
the potential for more people to download compromised applications rises.
“We’re encouraging
enterprises to build a framework for mobile security that encompasses people,
policies, processes and technologies,” said Canalys research analyst Nushin
Hernandez. “This vision will also create the most opportunity for channel
partners, if they can step in and act as the main point of strategic consulting
across multivendor product offerings.”
Hernandez said enterprises
around the world are struggling to manage a growing mobile workforce, using
multiple devices and operating systems and increased data consumption. Mobility
multiplies the number of attack vectors open to cyber-criminals and renders
corporate data more vulnerable through physical loss of devices. Users,
meanwhile, have a tendency to treat smartphones and smart pads as low risk,
without understanding the security implications of using these devices to
access corporate data and networks. “Enterprises must adopt a holistic view of
mobile security, as there is no single solution that provides complete
protection,” said Hernandez. “A more robust approach, even compared to that
used to protect typical notebooks and desktops, is needed.”
Canalys expects channel-led
deals to work best with vendors that offer value-add services, such as
management and installation support. “Vendors will have to equip channel
partners with the necessary technical training and tools, especially
specialization programs, to enable them to advise on the best mobility security
practices, policies and solutions,” said Hernandez. “Channel partners, in turn,
are advised to build up their portfolios and explore the possibility of
acquiring or joining forces with resellers that sell device-management solutions.”