Spending on IT security is returning to pre-recession rates according to the latest study from analyst house Canalys. In the fourth quarter of the year spending rose 10.1 per cent sequentially, with the market worth a total of $3.6bn by the end of the year. Spending was spurred on after higher PC buying by businesses and consumers. ‘The release of Windows 7 and the resurgence of the PC market have dramatically helped the client security market,’ said Nikki Babatola, analyst at Canalys. ‘This improvement will likely continue throughout 2010 as businesses roll out more computer systems.’