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By editorial@silicon.com, 8 October 2001 17:06

COMMENT Cash is still flowing through the hands of those in charge of European IT budgets even though we appear to be sinking in a flood of profit warning detritus and redundant bodies. Many large corporations are adding to IT spend post-11 September despite the wider economic malaise. At least that's according to a silicon.com survey carried out prior to the US attacks. It shows 92 per cent of almost 6,000 readers expect IT expenditure in their companies to increase or at least remain static over the next year. That in itself is surprising. With job losses, companies disappearing left, right and centre and mergers and acquisitions flying, one could expect IT to be hit where it hurts - square in the wallet. Even more surprising is the silicon.com post-11 September research of 1,000 readers where a resounding 58 per cent stated the events will not affect financial plans for IT, although 65 per cent intend to increase budgets. Security will be taking the brunt of the spend as organisations leap to defend themselves from cyber criminals with numerous firewalls and encryption technologies. Security has been largely ignored by the majority of companies until the recent rash of terrorist hype. Secure technologies have been touted by those flogging the stuff since the year dot-com, and large companies like RSA Security have continuously stated that users do not pay attention to detail, leaving themselves wide open to cyber theft and graffiti. It looks as though current concerns about threats may actually create some kind of virtuous circle, however small. All manner of organisations could become more secure and even help throw many damaged IT organisations a much-screamed-for lifeline.