Confusion Over Web 2.0 Provides Opportunity For VARs

If your customers are allowing employees to use Web 2.0 communication tools (and who isn’t?), then you need to hear this. A recent survey conducted by Websense, a security vendor that specializes in integrated Web, data, and email security solutions, reinforced that there is a clear lack of understanding about what Web 2.0 is and what is necessary to protect a network from threats carried from the Internet via Web 2.0 applications. Dave Meizlik, director of product marketing for Web and data security at Websense, took the time to walk me through the survey results and identified some enormous areas of opportunity for VARs. “Web 2.0 breaks traditional security solutions, such as URL filtering, reputation services, and antivirus — there are simply new rules,” explains Meizlik. “Even if a company does fully understand Web 2.0, it often doesn’t have the means or controls to effectively minimize the risk to its network.” In fact, the survey showed 95% of businesses allow access to Web 2.0 (including wikis, web-based applications, social networking sites, and more), but only 9% have the security in place to protect against threats associated with Web 2.0 access.

The opportunity for VARs starts with educating customers about exactly what applications are considered Web 2.0. The survey shows only 17% of those taking the survey (Websense talked to 1,300 information technology managers in 10 countries) consider applications beyond Facebook as Web 2.0. In fact, the top four Web 2.0 sites are Google, Yahoo, and YouTube, followed by Facebook — all well-known Internet mainstays — yet only 17% of respondents correctly identified all those sites as Web 2.0 tools. So if you are a VAR, open the conversation by discovering exactly what Web 2.0 applications are at use within a business, explain the risk associated with those applications, and then start to probe for where you can provide security tools or services to that customer.

For example, Meizlik suggests that, before heading off to talk security with a customer, a VAR should search for that business’ name under the “advanced search” tool on Facebook. That allows you to see how many of that company’s employees have profiles on Facebook. Take that information with you, and use it to illustrate how active employees are on Web 2.0 tools. “You can bring in the survey and start the conversation about whether or not the customer has security tools in place to deal with Web 2.0,” says Meizlik.

Don’t miss this chance to grow your security practice by offering your customers advice and security products that make their networks secure from threats carried through Web 2.0 applications. The entire survey can be downloaded at www.websense.com/Web2.0atWork.