MessageLabs leads message security market: IDC

With a 31.7 percent market share, the report identified MessageLabs as a clear market leader in the messaging security hosted services market compared to the nearest competitor at 20.1 percent, with revenues fast approaching Symantec, Trend Micro and McAfee.

According to Jos White, president and co-founder of MessageLabs, the results reflect MessageLabs's commitment to security-as-a-service.

“In an industry that is rife with mergers and acquisitions MessageLabs remains a true security as a service specialist with an ever expanding range of services for email, web and IM.

"Through an expanded product portfolio, geographical reach and additions to our executive team, MessageLabs has achieved significant growth and innovation,” White said.

IDC estimates that the messaging security market will more than double from US$2 billion in 2006 to US$4.8 billion in 2011.

“Managed services continue to gain popularity among businesses large and small,” said Brian Burke, analyst, IDC. “IDC expects this growth to continue in the coming years and for hosted services, like MessageLabs, to continue to gain market share from software and appliance vendors.”

MessageLabs recently reported preliminary unaudited financial results for the year ending July 31, 2007 with revenues of US$117.7 million, representing a 22 per cent increase in revenue over the previous year.