July is quickly coming to a close, but IT security always remains a top priority for both big and small businesses worldwide.

This week’s IT security stories to watch focus on malware and other security challenges that could affect these businesses for years to come.

Meanwhile, managed service providers (MSPs) are working with customers to mitigate and prevent cyber attacks.

Which companies are making news in the IT security market this week? Here are four stories to watch:

1. What does malware really cost?
A new infographic from Chicago-based MSP Trustwave showed malware can cost as little as $200 on the black market.

Trustwave pointed out malware costs can rival those commonly associated with:

“Malware is easier to use and more affordable than ever, making the barrier to entry especially seamless for modern-day cybercriminals — no matter how skilled they are or how deep their pockets run,” Trustwave Media Relations Manager Abby Ross wrote in a blog post.

2. ThreatStream appoints Hugh Njemanze as CEO
Software-as-a-service-based (SaaS-based) threat detection provider ThreatStream last week named ArcSight co-founder Hugh Njemanze as its new CEO. 

The addition could help ThreatStream expand its partnerships with managed security service providers (MSSPs), according to the company.

“Njemanze has more than 30 of years of experience in the security industry, as a technology innovator, visionary and a company leader. Both his business acumen and technology expertise are the right combination to grow a successful security startup and take ThreatStream’s business to the next level,” a ThreatStream spokesperson told MSPmentor.

ThreatStream founder Greg Martin said Njemanze will support his company’s expansion as the Silicon Valley’s fastest-growing cybersecurity startup as well.

3. Cloud-based apps and infrastructure create new security challenges
The Spiceworks “2014 State of IT” survey revealed cloud-based applications and infrastructure are designed to help IT professionals, yet these technologies can create new challenges.

Survey researchers found 58 percent of IT professionals expect their IT budgets to stay the same or decrease next year.

The survey also showed IT problems could become more complex in 2015, but 60 percent of respondents said they do not expect their organizations to hire additional IT staff next year.

Kathryn Pribish, Spiceworks’ Voice of IT Program Manager, noted many organizations are investing in cloud-based apps and infrastructure without adding IT staff to support new technologies.

“We’re finding that while companies are investing in technology solutions, they’re not committing to an equal investment in hiring the IT professionals who make sure technologies function properly and help employees get their jobs done,” Pribish said in a prepared statement.

4. Kaspersky: One out of every four IT pros doesn’t understand virtualization
Kaspersky Lab‘s “Global IT Security Risks Survey 2014 — Virtualization” revealed virtualization is a major challenge for many IT professionals.

“While virtualization is a widely adopted and mature technology with very pronounced business benefits, it is still relatively young,” Andrey Pozhogin, Kaspersky’s senior product marketing manager, told MSPmentor. “Until recently, the main focus of virtualization vendors was to develop the core of the virtualization, and IT experts were struggling to keep up with the flood of new challenges to get the virtualization itself just right. Security appeared to be a question of no concern — some thought they can fight threats with just destroying an infected virtual machine, others knew better and benefited from the trainings and experiences they got with securing physical machines.”

The antivirus software provider’s survey, however, showed nearly one out of every four enterprises said securing virtualization infrastructure is one of their most important security priorities for the next 12 months.

What do you think will be the biggest IT security stories for MSPs this week? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below, via Twitter @dkobialka or email me at [email protected].