First there are long term trends to consider, cloud computing being the elephant in the room that will change the fundamentals of technology purchasing. This will happen and Google, Amazon.com, eBay and countless others are quietly building this global infrastructure today. Cloud is a huge economic advantage but it also has an equally important benefit, security. For the first time it provides an opportunity for the IT industry to build security into the front end of the process, rather than as an afterthought. Success remains to be seen, but I am an optimist.
Cloud technology aside, why is basic security such a problem? In a word: trust. In several words: authentication, identity management, and secure access. Where is your business in regard to these products and services today? Passwords are in the process of being replaced for the simple rationale that they have to be. They are no longer secure. You can’t buy gas without dual factor (zip code) authentication. From Wal-Mart’s supply chain to Internet purchases, more biometrics and encryption solutions will be in your future.