Security overtakes price as top priority for hybrid collaboration tools
A sponsored feature examines why security has become the top priority when choosing videoconferencing and meeting-room technology, as hybrid working expands the potential attack surface and regulators tighten requirements. Citing IDC research and comments from Barco ClickShare's marketing director, Yannic Laleeuwe, the article argues that collaboration tools have become "mission-critical business systems" handling sensitive corporate data, meaning security can no longer be an afterthought but must be designed in without undermining usability.
According to IDC, organisations now rank security as their most important purchase criterion (31 percent), ahead of price (26 percent) and quality (25 percent). Top concerns include exposure to cyberattacks and malware (47 percent), devices falling out of compliance through missed patches (39 percent), and risky employee behaviour causing data exposure (37 percent). The piece also highlights how decentralised IT management can fragment security controls, and notes growing regulatory pressure in Europe, including the EU's NIS2 Directive, which imposes strict risk management and incident-reporting obligations on medium-to-large organisations.
In short
- Security is now the top purchase criterion for meeting-room and videoconferencing tech
- IDC: 31% prioritise security over price (26%) and quality (25%)
- Hybrid work and rules like EU's NIS2 are raising the stakes
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Prioritising security is prudent because meeting systems can handle sensitive business information and connect people working across many locations, increasing the number of potential vulnerabilities. Strong safeguards, timely updates and consistent management can reduce the risk of breaches and help organisations meet regulatory duties; treating security as a core requirement may prevent costly disruption later.
The case against
Security deserves serious attention, but making it the leading purchase criterion can obscure other needs such as affordability, reliability and ease of use. If controls are cumbersome or systems too costly, staff may avoid approved tools or smaller organisations may struggle to adopt them; a proportionate approach should weigh security alongside usability, quality and price.
Explained simply
Hybrid working lets people join meetings from offices, homes and other locations, using video calls and shared room equipment. These tools can carry confidential business information, so organisations have to consider how well they protect it as well as how easy and affordable they are to use.
The main players are the organisations choosing and managing the technology, their employees, and the companies that make collaboration equipment and software. Devices spread across different sites can be harder for IT teams to keep updated and apply consistent security controls to.
Cyberattacks, outdated software and accidental data sharing can all put information at risk. European rules such as the NIS2 Directive also require many organisations to manage cyber risks and report certain incidents, making security relevant to both day-to-day operations and regulatory duties.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Register as “How to secure hybrid meeting rooms without sacrificing user experience”.