New botnets are discovered and they're bigger than ever. The malware industry feeds the ever-increasing botnet industry. As usual, most of the innovation happens on the "other" side of the industry. Botnets' makers continue to build incredible distributed, encrypted, anonymous, unbreakable command-and-control systems. Who said there are no profits to be made in 2009? If only BTNT was a publicly traded stock!

Regulatory compliance is back with a vengeance. All the scandals and Ponzi schemes you heard about in 2008 become subtitles for new regulations in 2009 and beyond. Regulations in hedge funds, credit-default swaps and derivatives are just the beginning. A whole new industry of auditors, special software and consultants rises up to meet the challenge. You thought SOX was a pain? Just wait.

Security projects struggle for funding. It will take a lot of arguing to get a budget for more than upkeep in 2009. But wait, regulatory compliance comes to the rescue: Use compliance to push through budget requests on everything. It's 2007 all over again!