It’s probably no real surprise to learn from a data security company that data security threats are still a major problem, especially for major and even mid-level corporations and other businesses.

nForce Secure, a leading local distributor of information technology (IT) security services and products, claims the threat of security breaches and the loss of corporate data has become even more severe in recent times. This rising threat, the company claims, makes it imperative that companies support security policies in order to be able to respond effectively to security incidents.

The main targets for hackers and others looking to steal data are cloud and mobile systems and nForce Secure says it intends to make these its top priorities during 2015.

The managing director of nForce Secure, Nakrop Niamamtham, is quoted as saying that spending on cloud and mobile security platforms will be the main factors driving the information security market in Thailand over the next year or so.

According to Mr Nakrop, the trends of emerging IT security technology this year include cloud security, apps and mobile application security, digital rights management, IT security or managed security services, and sandboxing (a simulation of running applications on multiple operating systems).

The increased use of smartphones and tablets means cloud security is required to be able to scan for malware and secure file-sharing verification. Without verification, the activities of copying, moving and changing files cannot be traced.

Mobile technology means providing data security is a greater challenge than in the past as most locations are not really secure in a data sense. The task for nForce Secure and other IT security companies is to identify threats before they become endemic.

Mr Nakrop claims the Thai IT security market has matured greatly in recent years and was worth around three billion baht in 2014. 

The security industry is likely to see continued strong growth into the foreseeable future, with Mr Nakrop claiming it will see double-digit growth this year, especially on the back of the military-installed government’s digital economy policies. These government policies would help to drive the market for data security.

The primary sectors allocating increasing budgets for the services of companies like nForce Secure are government offices and state agencies, all of whom need to guard their collected data against theft and abuse, as well as telecommunications companies, all major and minor banks and institutions where customer and client monetary security is vital, and the healthcare industry.

For most individuals, the biggest IT threat is usually in the form of identity theft and/or credit card fraud. Both of these scenarios can occur if the major companies with whom an individual has data are compromised, hence the increased spending we see by major institutions on digital security.