Investment rises. - According to the PwC “Cyber Security M&A” office, the cyber security industry remains unaffected by the economic slowdown, and mergers and acquisitions are sharply increasing in this sector. Global cyber security spending represented $60 billion in 2011 and the deals registered represented an increase of about 70%, compared to 2010 at $10.2 billion. According to the experts, this trend is expected to continue and annual growth of 10% is forecast for the next 3-5 years. Evolution in this market, which has been dominated by the US and UK, can be explained by the high exposure to cyber attacks and the huge rise in new threat vectors such as smart phones and IPads, and the development of cloud computing and the web 2.0 in companies and organisations. Most spending on cyber security is made by the private sector, with the exception of the US, where government spending equals that in the private sector. (IL/transl.fl)