An eye on security for 2009

Fortunately, the threat of a leak is significantly mitigated through the use of technology, specifically, a DLP solution which can provide a clear return on investment and a manageable total cost of ownership. DLP provides a sound cost-avoidance strategy and can positively impact revenue - saving hundreds of millions of dollars with little upfront investment. In addition, organisations should consider moving to a hosted offering or at least protecting their on-premise filtering infrastructure by adding a layer of email hygiene in the cloud.

Organisations should prepare for continuing challenges during the year ahead and I predict that security managers will shift their protection emphasis from guarding against inbound attacks at the infrastructure level - a model suited to perimeter boundaries and the internet as a simple content resource - to guarding essential information against blended threats and accidental or malicious loss, in tune with Web 2.0 and the internet as a business platform.

Now is also the time to recall evidence of past downturns and remember that those who make smart use of innovative technology will be the ones who come out strongest.

Phil Vasic is the managing director of Websense ANZ.