Vodafone created a new line of business that is dedicated to providing its enterprise customers across the globe with cyber security technologies, and specialist advice and support.
The new Vodafone Enterprise Security Services (VESS) line of business will unite the group's current portfolio of security products under the leadership of Simon Church, who will join the company in April as VESS CEO reporting to Vodafone Group enterprise CEO Nick Jeffery.
The UK-based operator is thus responding to the growing challenges faced by all manner of companies and organisations today as they seek to protect their businesses from rising levels of cyber and IT security threats.
Orange also recently indicated it intended to boost its IT security credentials: the company said last week it had entered exclusive talks with Argos Soditic to acquire Lexsi, a European specialist in security threat intelligence services.
Vodafone noted that cyber security has become one of the biggest areas of concern for business. It cited a forecast by Gartner from September last year that suggested global spending on information security would reach $75.4 billion (€67.1 billion) in 2015, an increase of 4.7 per cent from the previous year.
Elizabeth Kim, a research analyst at Gartner, said interest in security technologies was increasingly being driven by elements of digital business, "particularly cloud, mobile computing and now also the Internet of Things, as well as by the sophisticated and high-impact nature of advanced targeted attacks."
Gartner further noted that increased legislation also continues to be a driver for security spending in some countries, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and South Africa.
Vodafone's Jeffery said the company's enterprise customers are well aware of the fact that they face a wide range of cyber threats, "many of which could materially impact their operations and brand."
"We know they're looking for trusted partners with the right expertise to stand with them and help them secure their operations from end to end. Vodafone Enterprise Security Services is designed to meet that important need," he said.
For more:
- see this Vodafone release
- see this Gartner report
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