Cyber security providers score with "Swissness
According to a new study by the Information Services Group, many Swiss companies prefer to have "security operations centers" in their own country.
The move of many employees to home offices in the wake of the Covid pandemic has provided cybercriminals with additional points of attack. This is one of the reasons why Swiss SMEs are now increasingly turning to providers of managed security services. This was reported in the new "ISG Provider Lens Cyber Security - Solutions & Services Switzerland 2021" by the Information Services Group (ISG). According to the study, purely Swiss providers who provide their services and the necessary infrastructure entirely from within Switzerland also have good prospects.
Rely on Managed Security Services
"Swissness is a great way for local security providers to score points, especially with SMEs," says Frank Heuer, Lead Analyst Cyber Security DACH at ISG. "For example, these providers also or exclusively operate the Security Operations Center (SOC) domestically." The large Swiss companies with global operations, on the other hand, have often already outsourced many security tasks to external service providers in the form of managed services, according to Heuer.
Swiss companies are increasingly turning to managed security services, particularly because of the severe shortage of skilled workers in the security sector and the extremely fast innovation cycles in cyber defense. In order to stay ahead in the race against increasingly complex threats, many providers are also expanding their SOCs into comprehensive cyber defense centers, according to the ISG analysts. These counter the increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks with artificial intelligence and automation, for example. Complementary cyber fusion centers, in turn, would help to expand cybersecurity management in a targeted and future-oriented manner.
The study "ISG Provider Lens Cyber Security - Solutions & Services Switzerland 2021" evaluates the services of 90 providers in six market segments (quadrants): In addition to "Managed Security Services", these are "Identity & Access Management (IAM)", "Data Leakage/Loss Prevention (DLP) & Data Security", "Advanced Endpoint Threat Protection, Detection & Response (Advanced ETPDR)", "Technical Security Services" and "Strategic Security Services".
Identity & Access Management (IAM)
The Identity & Access Management submarket, which is already growing strongly in general, has received an additional boost in the course of the Covid pandemic. Due to the relocation of many employees to home offices, many employees now access company resources remotely. It is also likely, according to ISG, that this new reality will persist post-pandemic. This makes the regulation and control of access to data and systems even more important. Topics such as intuitive interfaces, passwordless authentication, the use of biometrics and artificial intelligence would also gain in importance, for example through the increased use of mobile devices. In addition, the ISG study mentions the increasing digitalization of all areas, which contributes to the fact that not only users and their identities need to be protected, but increasingly also machines and certain company areas, for example in the course of Industry 4.0.
Data Leakage/Loss Prevention (DLP) & Data Security
Especially in Switzerland, with its strong financial industry, data and intellectual property have become increasingly important and in some cases existentially significant corporate assets. More and more cybercriminals are targeting this point in order to steal information, according to the ISG study. The increasing business use of private end devices also requires particularly good protection against unwanted data outflows, as these accesses often elude configuration and control by company administrators. On the vendor side, the ISG vendor comparison also identifies a shift in DLP solutions towards cloud operation. The leading providers have adapted to this and offer their solutions in both an on-premise and a cloud variant.
Advanced Endpoint Threat Protection, Detection & Response (Advanced ETPDR)
Unlike traditional security solutions such as classic antivirus systems, ETPDR solutions are not based on signatures, but are proactively targeted against potential threats. They achieve this by applying behavioral analyses as well as machine learning or artificial intelligence. Furthermore, continuous monitoring of endpoints is possible. For this comparatively new submarket, the ISG study only included providers that can also demonstrably effectively defend against complex threats such as advanced persistent threats, ransomware or malware and that generate relevant revenue as advanced ETPDR providers in Switzerland.
Technical Security Services
When it comes to technical security services, the ISG comparison of providers sees service providers that offer a broad range of technical security services from a single source in the lead. Partnerships with renowned technology providers, numerous high-quality certifications, end-to-end security services, integrated offers of IT and associated security solutions as well as international experience and globally active teams are also advantageous, especially for large customers. Medium-sized companies, on the other hand, would often appreciate a local presence of the service providers for short distances and uncomplicated, fast support.
Strategic Security Services
When it comes to services for the security strategy of companies, it is important in Switzerland that the corresponding service providers can offer combined solutions. According to the study, strategic security services are particularly in demand in conjunction with technical security services and managed security services. This enables the strategy to be implemented seamlessly. The ability to offer integrated IT and associated security solutions from a single source is another feature that distinguishes the leading providers in this market segment.
The ISG vendor comparison ranks IBM among the leaders in five quadrants and Atos in four. Accenture, Capgemini, HCL, Microsoft and Swisscom are named leaders in three quadrants each, and Broadcom, DXC Technology, ISPIN, Trend Micro, T-Systems and United Security Providers in two quadrants each. Aveniq (Avectris), Axians, Bechtle, Check Point, CrowdStrike, Deloitte, Ergon, EY, ForcePoint, Ivanti MobileIron, Kaspersky, KPMG, Matrix42, McAfee, Nevis, Okta, Orange Cyberdefense, Ping Identity, PwC, RSA, Sophos, TCS, VMware Carbon Black and Wipro are named as Leaders in one quadrant each.
The study "ISG Provider Lens Cyber Security - Solutions & Services Switzerland 2021" is available at this Website available.
Source: ISG
