Consumer-facing social technologies typically get the lion’s share of buzz around financial news, but FireEye’s $1 billion acquisition of Mandiant is ringing up and down Wall Street. This deal is just the latest in a line of IPOs, M&As and funding announcements thrusting security into the mainstream and attracting attention from global investors. 

If you take a page out of Det. Lester Freamon’s book (of The Wire fame) and follow the money, it’s easy to see that security is enabling business to operate. Last year, Gartner predicted global spending on infosec to reach more than $64 billion, with an estimated average growth of 8.7% annually through 2017. This spend tells me that the services provided by the industry are becoming as crucial to business as electricity and communications (if infosec were only as easy as flipping a switch or picking up a phone). To not miss out, investors are lining up as they begin to realize the critical role our industry plays in the global economy.

The Mandiant acquisition is stirring discussions around the next big move that will shake up the investment community. Predictions indicate that internet security stocks will see tremendous growth in 2014. The IPOs will also continue – The Boston Globe predicts that Cyber-Ark and Veracode are two companies with a public eye. Of course, RSA Conference 2014 attendees can witness ten of the top security startups at our Innovation Sandbox program on Monday, February 25. One of these emerging businesses will be named Most Innovative Company at RSA Conference 2014, but they all have the potential to become a darling for VCs and investors in the near future.

Personally, I cannot wait for the record breaking attendance of VC/Start-Ups/Well-Established Security organizations that will come together to continue to transform the security industry into the new Wolf of Wall Street.