Slow but steady growth for security appliances

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Security Appliance Tracker, total market revenue in the security appliances market remained stable, posting a 1,5% growth in the fourth quarter of 2024 (4Q24) and reaching $5,1-billion – an increase of $77-million year-over-year.

Security appliance shipments totaled 1,2-million units, reflecting a 2,7% growth compared to the same period in 2023 (4Q24 versus 4Q23).

“Hardware-based security appliances remain a cornerstone of cybersecurity strategies, delivering dedicated, high-performance protection against evolving threats,” says Carlo Dávila, research manager: Enterprise Trackers at IDC. “As organisations embrace hybrid security models, hardware serves as the foundation, enhanced by subscription-based services and complemented by software and cloud-based solutions.

“This approach enables organisations to better protect their infrastructure and applications while adapting to emerging security challenges.

“With AI-driven capabilities increasingly integrated as subscriptions, hardware-based solutions continue to evolve, reinforcing their pivotal role in building resilient and adaptive cybersecurity frameworks.”

From a regional perspective, in the fourth quarter of 2024, EMEA experienced double-digit growth of 12,4%, driving the overall expansion of the global security appliances market and offsetting APAC’s decline of 4,4%. Within EMEA, Western Europe stood out with the most dynamic performance, posting a 15,4% growth compared to the same period in 2023 (4Q24 versus 4Q23).