Symantec stretches Web 2.0 definition, invents Security 2.0

Like most companies today, Symantec is figuring out how become a Web 2.0 company. No company wants to be left out of the parade, so the definition of Web 2.0 is stretching as marketing strategists apply their skills. Speaking at Software 2006, Mark Bregman, CTO of Symantec, described how Symantec moved from protecting things (PCs, servers, storage, etc.) to protecting information in the Internet era (Web 1.0) and now is moving to a "new Web 2.0 paradigm," protecting interactions and relationships between entities. He dubbed this twist on Web 2.0, Security 2.0. Why not Security 3.0 and try to appear like you are ahead of the curve? Nothing trying to associate Symantec itself with a high concept like Security 2.0, but Bregman's presentation lacked any substance other than the notion of changing paradigms and creating a new ecosystem, more buzzwords.

Bregman said that some customers want Symantec to support the "old paradigm view of the world," which I assume means not getting involved in protecting relationships, which goes deeply into the areas like identity management and Web services security. Symantec appears to be crossing a chasm and, as Bregman said, is scouting and scanning new companies, talking to potential customers, building a new ecosystem of partners, thinking about how get people within the company thinking in "Security 2.0" ways, which he associated with making ebusiness and online collaboration more secure. Without a new ecosystem and partnerships, Bregman said there could be a deceleration in economic growth driven by lack of confidence in the network interactions. Bregman's message: Symantec to the rescue...