According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Security Appliance Tracker, both factory revenues and unit shipments continued to grow in the first quarter of 2015 (1Q15). Worldwide vendor revenues increased 7.5% year over year to $2.3 billion, marking the 22nd consecutive quarter of revenue growth. Unit shipments expanded to 526,767 and grew 9.4% year over year for the sixth consecutive quarter of volume growth. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2014, both revenues and shipments declined in 1Q15, falling -12.8% and -12.6% respectively.

The United States accounted for 42.9% of worldwide revenues in 1Q15 and was the fastest growing market at 15.6%, gaining 3.0 share points year over year. With 39.1% of units shipped, the US market gained 3.5 and 2.9 points of shipment share sequentially and year-over-year.

"Today's threat environment is extremely dynamic and continues to change exponentially," said Ebenezer Obeng-Nyarkoh, senior research analyst, Worldwide Trackers Group. "The growing volume and sophistication of cyber attacks has created an environment where integrating disparate security solutions is required to protect sensitive business and personal information, as well as to safeguard national security."

To read the full IDC press release, click here.