SOURCE: Infonetics Research

September 10, 2008 15:11 ET

Infonetics Research: Websense, Symantec lead content security market; Cisco hot on their trail

CAMPBELL, CA--(Marketwire - September 10, 2008) - Communications market research firm Infonetics Research reports that the content security gateway market, including software and appliances, increased 6% sequentially in 2Q08, hitting $455.5 million.

According to Infonetics' report, Content Security Appliances and Software, the overall market is up a healthy 21% year-over-year from 2Q07, and strong growth is expected for the 2008 calendar year, led by overall market leaders Websense, Symantec, and Trend Micro. The market is also getting a boost from large vendors rapidly gaining market share, most notably Cisco.

"This is Cisco's third full quarter of reporting, and they're now in first place in the content security appliance segment, and on the steepest ramp for market share growth in the overall content security market. Due to the success of many vendors in this space, we expect the content security gateway market to grow very well in 2008 as companies get a handle on the spam and malicious code that proliferated in 2007," said Jeff Wilson, principal analyst for network security at Infonetics Research.

Other highlights from the report:

--  Cisco edged past Symantec to take the lead in the worldwide content
    security gateway appliance market last quarter, and widened its lead a bit
    in 2Q08; Blue Coat holds the #3 spot
--  Websense, which acquired SurfControl in 2007, leads the worldwide
    content security gateway software market, as well as the overall content
    security gateway market
--  In the 5 years between 2007 and 2011, companies will spend more than
    $10 billion (cumulative) on content security software and appliances to
    secure networks and improve employee productivity
--  The content security market is fairly well insulated from the sluggish
    North American economy, and North America continues to account for roughly
    half of worldwide revenue
    

Infonetics' content security forecast, made in 1Q08, was accurate within 1% of 2Q08 actual results.

Infonetics' report provides market size, forecasts, and analysis for content security gateways, broken out by software and appliances, including messaging, Web/malware, and integrated appliances. The service tracks BlueCoat, Cisco, Citrix, McAfee, SonicWALL, Symantec, Trend Micro, Websense, and others.

For report highlights, log in to Infonetics' online portal from www.infonetics.com (see Network Security). For sales, contact Larry Howard, vice president, at larry@infonetics.com or +1 (408) 583-3335.

Infonetics Research (www.infonetics.com) is an international market research and consulting firm serving the communications industry since 1990. A leader in defining and tracking emerging and established technologies in all world regions, Infonetics helps clients plan, strategize, and compete more effectively.