Digital Security Thought Leaders Highlight Evolving Trends in a New Report by Trender Research

Concern for identity theft and rise of social networking and mobile applications have changed view of online safety and driven the development of comprehensive security suites.

Westford, MA, — Trender Research™ Inc. (www.trenderresearch.com), a market research and consulting firm that combines expert analysis with the voice of everyday people, announced a new Trender Thought Leaders report for the digital security industry. The “Digital Security Trends” report analyzes the evolution of real and perceived security threats and the technology that aims to protect consumers and workers against them. The 25-page report is invaluable for policy-makers, industry professionals, researchers, technology vendors, and investors trying to understand the challenges and opportunities in digital security.

As the Internet has become a part of daily life for the average consumer, the concern for identity theft and other well publicized dangers have changed the view of online safety. While consumers have become savvier about combating threats from email and phishing attacks, they are only starting to understand the risks from social networking and public wireless networks. Meanwhile, we are in the midst of another revolution as handheld devices continue to blur the line between computers and cell phones. As a result, security products offering protection from virus attacks and other forms of malware have evolved into comprehensive security suites. These suites continue to grow to offer protection from all forms of online threats to our privacy, financial data, and physical safety.

“Getting to this point in online safety has been a cat-and-mouse game between security software vendors and online threats,” said Trender Research Senior Analyst Michael Whalen. “While most vendors agree that education is the key to consumer online safety, technology continues to evolve quickly—and so do new threats.”

The purpose of this report is to accurately reflect the macro trends of the consumer security software industry through the eyes of thought leaders deeply involved in the field. It also includes the input of a Trender Panel of diverse Americans whose perspectives keep the report’s analysis grounded in the lives of average citizens. The industry thought leaders are all recognized experts in their fields who reflect the trends and best practices of their respective areas of expertise. They are:

• Carol Carpenter, Executive General Manager Volume Customer Business Unit, Trend Micro
• David Klenske, Director of Worldwide Product Marketing Consumer Small Business Division, McAfee
• Vince Hwang, Global Director of Product Management, BitDefender
• Govind Rammurthy, CEO, MicroWorld

Some of the major trends analyzed in this report include:
• Shift of identity theft protection from a focus on protecting computers to protecting consumer data.
• Consumers’ embrace of software as a service (SaaS) for security products.
• Impact of Microsoft Security Essentials on the industry.
• Broadening the in-home security battle to move beyond computers to any device connected to the network.
• Role of consumer education and ease of use to gain acceptance of new security techniques.
• Importance of protecting children and teens from online predators, cyber-bullying, and criminals trying to exploit their naiveté to breach digital security protections.

The cost of “Digital Security Trends” is $799 for a department license and $999 for an enterprise license. For a report synopsis or ordering information, contact Brian Mahony, bmahony@trenderresearch.com, 508-479-7254.