Security spending levels off

Federal government spending on IT security products and services will increase in fiscal 2005 just 2 percent over fiscal 2004 spending, according to a report published last week by Input Inc., a Reston, Va., government IT research firm.

In contrast, federal spending on IT security rose 10 percent in 2004, 50 percent in 2003 and 100 percent in 2002, compared to each previous year, according to Input's Federal IT Security MarketView report.

Overall budget pressures, including the war in Iraq, have siphoned money from IT security but will ease over time, boosting IT security spending, an Input analyst said.