IBM expands investment to help Canadian companies bridge security gap

This expanded security practice is being supported by a new operations centre based in Markham, Ontario. IT security is one of the fastest growing segments of the Canadian IT sector. According to IDC Canada, it is forecast to grow 12.7 per cent this year over last year - creating a market worth an estimated at $765.3-million (Cdn) in 2004. Despite that growth, there are significant gaps across Canada between the security haves and have-nots. To help bridge that gap, the IBM Canada Security Operations Center - the first of its kind in Canada - has opened to serve as a nerve center to respond to emergencies and other security incidents. By providing security intelligence, IBMs new Security Operations Centre will also help companies of all sizes to better anticipate threats to help deter, detect, and prevent security problems. It will provide specialized services for small and medium sized businesses through IBM Business Partners, building upon IBM Canadas 35 million dollar investment strategy for that market, announced in September of this year. Tied to a global security network, operating 24/7, this new Canadian centre will provide real-time monitoring of security situations as well as coordinate response activities. It will also collaborate with IBMs Security Operations Centre in Boulder, Colorado and IBMs 5 Global Security Laboratories to issue advisories and bulletins concerning threats to security, as well as specific protective measures. It will also serve as a new resource for security investigations.