Canalys forecasts global investment growth into mobile security will reach $795.8M this year, with Y-o-Y growth of 44.2%-- and should be worth $3 billion by 2015.
There is a current lack in mobile security solutions, with only 4% of smartphones and tablets shipping in 2010 having some form of mobile security, according to Canalys-- making such devices easy pickings to hackers.
The analyst predicts mobile security uptake will grow rapidly (to over 20% of WW mobile devices carryin security software by 2015) as enterprises start conforming more strictly to data protection and compliance practices and consumers start understanding security threats on their personal data.
Businesses should also start deploying tracking, monitoring and corporate data access solutions on mobile devices employees bring to the workplace. Such solutions would be increasingly tied to enterprise app stores.
Mobile client security measures will include anti-virus, firewall, messaging security, web threat security, VPN functionality and encryption-- measures Canalys predicts will growth at a CAGR of 54.6% to 2015.
Mobile security investments in mature W. European markets should accelerate as enterprise mobility and consumerisation trends pick up speed, while Canalys says developing MEA markets "will experience a sharp rise in mobile security investment from 2013 to 2015" as Android adoption gains headway as the mobile OS of choice.
Operators should also ensure customer data protection as WW mobile operators are going through increasing mobile malware attacks-- with attack sophistication to surely rise in time, regardless of device or OS in use.
Canalys suggests channel partners to stock up on their mobile security portfolios and knowhow, as well as joining forces with resellers selling such solutions.
