Coda | Economic indicators for security industry are looking up
As anyone who has attended information technology conferences and trade shows for a few years knows, the quality of freebies handed out by sponsors and vendors took a serious downturn after the .com crash. It is as easy to distinguish the .com boundary in your tote bag closet or your t-shirt drawer as it is for a geologist to spot the K-T boundary that marks the end of the dinosaurs. It has become increasingly difficult to maintain a business casual wardrobe based entirely on giveaway clothing.
However, I have noticed what might be the beginnings of a turnaround, at least for the security segment of the IT industry. At a recent conference sponsored in Washington by Symantec, the bags being given out were roomy backpacks with lots of straps and zippered compartments; definitely pre-crash quality. And the vendors exhibiting at this year's Black Hat Briefings in Las Vegas for the first time had booth models. Only a few, but they have been in short supply for some time at most shows.
As the world situation gets more dangerous by the day, IT security companies apparently are feeling secure about the continued demand for their products and services.
About the Author
William Jackson is a senior writer of GCN and the author of the CyberEye column.