A fad is when something is popular for the sake of being popular. It’s a temporary flash in the culture pan that we enjoy because everyone is in on the fun. Snap bracelets, Furbies, UGG boots, and the Real Housewives of Anything; we love to hate them and hate to love them. But we understand they are short-lived and probably shallow.
A trend is something very different. A trend gains momentum and power over time. It probably has widespread importance. Trends are tools whose value and influence increases as more people adopt a new perspective or habit. For instance, healthy eating is an important growing trend in North America, but low-carb diets can be understood as a fad within that trend. In the IT industry, it is crucially important for IT leaders to understand the difference between technology trends and fads.
The rising criticality of information security is a clear and important trend for every size business—not just for the big enterprises like Sony, Target, and Home Depot. In fact, 60% of all cyber attacks target SMBs. That means this trend is one you need to be sensitive to. You need to adopt a perspective that appreciates the growing importance of a strong and mature security posture for your business. Don’t treat security like a fad … because you can be sure the hackers are in it for the long haul.
