StillSecure survey reveals technology buying trends among network security professionals.

StillSecure, a leading network security software provider to enterprises, has announced the results of a recent survey of network security professionals. The 2005 IT Security Adoption Survey, conducted during December 2004 by StillSecure, received responses from over 1,400 information technology and security professionals working at a wide range of companies in the public, private, and government sectors.

The 2005 IT Security Adoption Survey uncovered a number of key motivators for implementing network security solutions. Protecting data (55 percent), regulatory compliance (20 percent), and preventing downtime (14 percent) rank as major factors. Less important factors include increasing productivity (4 percent), management directives (4 percent), and reducing liability (3 percent).

The survey also obtained information about respondents' technology buying trends, and validated that anti-virus, firewall, and VPN solutions have already been widely implemented. These solutions have implementation rates of 96 percent, 94 percent, and 78 percent, respectively.

Increased adoption is expected among newer technologies including intrusion detection/prevention, vulnerability management and endpoint policy compliance, with current implementation rates of 54 percent, 38 percent, and 27 percent, respectively. Of those who haven't yet implemented these technologies, 83 percent plan to implement an intrusion detection/prevention solution prior to Q4 2005. During the same timeframe, 74 percent plan to implement a vulnerability management solution, and 67 percent plan to implement an endpoint policy compliance solution.

"The fact that protecting data, regulatory compliance, and preventing downtime are the three biggest areas of concern validates that network security is not about deploying technology for technology's sake, but rather about solving true business and operational challenges," said Mitchell Ashley, CTO of StillSecure. "The survey findings also illustrate the importance of adopting a layered approach to network security by implementing a number of technologies at the perimeter, network, host, application, and data levels."