SEATTLE – Rising cyberthreats are translating into booming business for companies supplying technologies that help secure networks and protect sensitive data.

Case in point: Silicon Valley-based risk management integrator Agiliance recently announced a 65% increase in sales for the first quarter, including a 415% boost in revenue from financial services clients.

CyberTruth asked Torsten George, chief product strategist for Agiliance, for his perspective riding this wave.

CT: So companies now suddenly get it that they're under cyberattack?

George: Many organizations are realizing that you can schedule an audit, but not a cyber-attack. This change in behavior is being driven by stricter enforcement of existing regulations, mounting new legislation and SEC guidance, evolving case law propagating a higher standard of care, as well as pressure from corporate board rooms where the impact of a breach on a company's stock price is now a real concern.

CT: What's the corporate sector's biggest worry with respect to potential new regulations?

George: Opponents of legislation that would mandate information sharing about cyber-threats claim it would be too burdensome to implement and threaten civil liberties and privacy. However, it appears that many businesses would welcome information sharing, as long as it is done in a bi-directional manner and with strong liability protections for those operating within the framework.

CT: What's most concerning to your customers about emerging privacy regulations in Europe?

George: While Europe operates as a common trading community, each member state has the right to interpret and apply European Directives on a national basis. As a result, global organizations most likely will face a multitude of different regulations, resulting in a variety of burdensome data breach disclosure and notification practice. Our customers are concerned about how to address the increased compliance reporting and audit workloads.

CT: Meanwhile, aren't the bad guys still well ahead?

George: Yes, even though many organizations spend millions of dollars each year to maintain their IT environment and implement some of the most sophisticated computer defenses available today. It's clear we have to find new ways to improve security.

CT: What progress do you anticipate the good guys will make, going forward

George: Many organizations rely on a multitude of best-of-breed, silo-based tools. This only adds to the complexity of data feeds that must be analyzed. At the end of the day, the ultimate goal is to shorten the window attackers have to exploit a software or network configuration flaw