Content security market up in Q1

CAMPBELL,USA:Market research firm Infonetics Research released its first quarter (1Q10) Content Security Appliances and Software and Network Security Appliances and Software market size, market share, and forecast reports.

ANALYST NOTE

"The content security market, on the heels of a strong fourth quarter (up 9 per cent), inched up in the first quarter of 2010, defying the seasonal revenue dip we usually see at the beginning of each year, boding well for the market in 2010. Threats aimed at popular Web sites, applications, and social networking destinations still dominate the news, but an interesting tidbit out of the first three months of 2010 is that many threat researchers actually reported decreasing spam volumes in some months in the first quarter," notes Jeff Wilson, principal analyst for security at Infonetics Research.

"We expected the network security market to more-or-less follow normal seasonal patterns in first quarter of 2010, but Cisco noted that component shortages affected high-end IPS products, their ASA product line, and some secure routers, causing the quarter to come in slightly below expectations," Wilson adds.

CONTENT SECURITY MARKET HIGHLIGHTS

 -  Worldwide content security appliance and software revenue grew 2.5pc between 4Q09 and 1Q10 to $640 million

 -  Infonetics forecasts the content security appliance and software market to hit $3.8 billion in 2014

 -  For 1Q10, in total content security gateway revenue (appliances and software), McAfee ranks first, Blue Coat second

 -  Cisco posted an 18pc gain in content security revenue in 1Q10, following a 28pc gain in 4Q09

NETWORK SECURITY MARKET HIGHLIGHTS

 -  Worldwide network security appliance and software revenue decreased 6pc worldwide between 4Q09 and 1Q10, totaling $1.3 billion

 -  However, year-over-year, from 1Q09 to 1Q10, the worldwide network security market is up 10 pc

 -  Infonetics Research projects the network security appliance and software market will grow to $6.5 billion in 2014

 -  Most of the top network security vendors posted sequential declines in quarterly revenue, including Cisco, Check Point, and Juniper

 -  Of the top vendors, Juniper posted the smallest declines, helping them move into second position, ahead of Check Point, for worldwide network security revenue