2 weeks Ago By Korea IT Times
Korea IT Times celebrates its 20th anniversary with Insightful columns from local and international thought leaders. Following contributions from experts from all walks of life in July , August , September , and October , the column will continue in November and December. By Ananth Lazarus Have you ever considered how we expect round-the-clock protection at the organizations we work for or the businesses we rely on as customers? As cyber threats, fueled by advanced technologies, continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, organizations are ramping up their defenses.
This has created the need for a more robust and comprehensive defense mechanism, resulting in a web of interconnected technologies and partnerships. Rising investments in cybersecurity across the Asia-Pacific region reflect businesses' needs for security. IDC's Worldwide Semiannual Security Spending Guide estimates that security spending in Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) will hit $36 billion in 2024, a 12.
3% increase from the previous year. The region's spending could reach $52 billion by 2027, driven by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.8%.
The South Korean cybersecurity market is anticipated to grow significantly, from USD 4.40 billion in 2024 to USD 8.86 billion by 2029, reflecting a CAGR of 15.
01% during this period, according to Mordor Intelligence. This growth is fueled by increased connected devices, extensive mobile device usage, and the country's considerable intellectual property, making it a significant target for cyberattacks. The robust investment also reflects the country’s heightened vulnerability to cyber threats, particularly sophisticated attacks from North Korea.
These incidents have targeted government and private sector information and communications technology (ICT) systems, resulting in stolen information and significant financial losses. The shift towards cloud deployment is driving market growth in the enterprise segment. Organizations increasingly adopt cloud solutions to simplify data storage and enable remote access, benefiting from unlimited computing power.
This transition has underscored the importance of security at every stage of the cloud adoption process, particularly as IT infrastructure moves beyond traditional on-premises setups. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly inclined toward cloud solutions, as these allow businesses to focus on their core activities rather than invest heavily in security infrastructure—an essential consideration given their often limited cybersecurity budgets. Delivering comprehensive cybersecurity solutions is a highly complex task.
With cyber threats now powered by artificial intelligence (AI), cybercriminals are leveraging AI for attacks like deepfakes and identity theft, pushing organizations to adopt advanced tools for threat detection, automated remediation, and behavioral analysis. The need for multiple players—vendors, distributors, system integrators, managed security service providers, and resellers—to work together to address evolving threats cannot be overstated in this technology ecosystem. Co-opetition: Collaboration in Cybersecurity A growing trend in the cybersecurity industry is 'co-opetition'—a strategic collaboration between competitors to strengthen defenses.
As cyber threats become more costly and complex, organizations realize that working together yields more robust defenses. In South Korea, the average data breach cost has risen to approximately $3.62 million in 2024, reflecting an increase in the financial impact of such incidents.
This cost is only expected to rise, putting pressure on businesses to adopt more collaborative approaches to cybersecurity. Co-opetition, in this context, is not just a trend but a necessity to address the increasing cost and complexity of cyber threats. Cybersecurity is evolving towards integrated platforms that combine multiple security functions, moving away from fragmented solutions.
In this transition, technology distributors, IT resellers, managed service providers (MSPs), and systems integrators are crucial in guiding organizations to select and implement effective solutions. A notable trend is the rise of 'co-opetition,' where competitors join forces to meet customer needs by integrating their products and services. For instance, two competing cybersecurity firms might collaborate to create a more comprehensive threat intelligence platform.
This collaborative approach allows vendors to enhance protection through shared threat intelligence and integrated solutions. By partnering with managed security service providers (MSSPs), IT distributors deliver tailored, multi-vendor cybersecurity solutions that address challenges across various infrastructures. They are also crucial in facilitating Proof of Concepts (PoCs) by acting as intermediaries between vendors and MSPs.
By sharing best practices and providing necessary resources, they help enable effective evaluations of security solutions while addressing specific business cases. This streamlines end-users adoption of advanced cybersecurity technologies. IT distributors also play a crucial role in uniting best-in-class vendor offerings.
By partnering with MSSPs, they curate multi-vendor solutions tailored to customer needs. These collaborative efforts enable organizations to address security challenges across diverse endpoints and infrastructures. What Lies Ahead: Co-opetition as a Strategic Advantage in Cybersecurity Comprehensive platforms, co-opetition, and emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing will define the future of cybersecurity.
As these technologies evolve, the threat landscape will grow more complex, making it essential for vendors and channel partners to collaborate. Co-opetition will continue to be a key driver of innovation, enabling companies to pool their resources and knowledge to stay ahead of the competition. About the Author Ananth Lazarus is the Managing Director for Asia Pacific and Japan at GTDC, bringing over 30 years of senior executive experience in the technology channel partner ecosystem, including leadership roles at Microsoft, IBM, and Compaq.
Previously, he was IBM’s Southeast Asia General Manager for the Partner Ecosystem, overseeing a $500 million revenue business and enhancing partner outreach and growth. Ananth spent nearly 20 years at Microsoft, leading the Asia Pacific Partner Sales & Strategy Business and executing a successful Ecosystem Cloud transformation program, tripling partner sales. As Managing Director of Microsoft, Malaysia, he transformed the operation into one of the fastest-growing subsidiaries and secured a major government project.
Ananth leverages his expertise to support various tech companies, from startups to ISVs and vendors. He focuses on advancing channel partner and distributor strategies to foster scalable growth in the Asia Pacific region..
