September 15, 2005

Gartner sees IT security risk decisions moving mainstream

by brian_turner

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In future the heads of information security functions are more likely to be business managers than technical staff, according to Paul Proctor, research vice president at Gartnerâ€™s Information Security Group. Speaking at Gartnerâ€™s IT Security Summit in London on Wednesday, Mr Proctor said companies would take a more strategic approach that balances IT security threats against business drivers.

Gartner expects information security to become an element in a wider risk management strategy. It believes that the scenario of security staff blocking projects without considering the wider picture will disappear.

Mr Proctor said that large organisations grow by having developed an understanding of risk, and accepting it when if offers a business advantage. He said: “Business lives by risk. But the concept of ‘acceptable risk’ is an oxymoron to many security professionals”.

He said that future risk management officers will be experts in communication and project management skills, and are more likely to be trained in business than technical skill. This will leave technical staff unable to rise beyond a certain position in their company unless they get a business degree.

Mr Proctor said: â€œBusiness people also need to adapt and realise the security cannot be achieved by technology and needs to be built into a corporate culture. This will require cultural, behavioural, procedural and technical changeâ€.

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