The volume of spam, botnets and blended attacks is set to increase dramatically during 2007, new research has claimed.

Email security firm Postini reported "renewed and dramatic concerns" over exploding levels of spam and viruses, with 71 per cent of respondents to a survey indicating that communications security is the top issue for 2007.

Some 91 per cent of communications professionals surveyed believe that spam will continue to increase in 2007, on top of already record levels last year.

"2007 clearly presents an increasingly challenging communications security and compliance landscape for businesses to navigate," said Daniel Druker, executive vice president of marketing at Postini.

"Companies worldwide are feeling the weight of more sophisticated, intense and malicious attacks combined with a pressing need to meet compliance and security mandates."

Drew Paik, director of SMB marketing at Postini, told vnunet.com of a major rise in blended attacks from a variety of sources, including email, internet and VoIP.

Fewer than one in four of the professionals surveyed believe they can manage their current communications policies.

The exploding number of communications channels, including email, instant messaging, web 2.0, mobile computing and VoIP, coupled with increased threats and heightened compliance risks, is leaving many professionals feeling "out of control".

However, two thirds also stated that these other forms of communications are becoming as important in terms of management, protection and compliance as their organisations' email.

More than half of respondents either 'did not know' or were 'not sure' whether their enterprises had policies or procedures in place to enforce proper communications compliance practices.

In order to manage increasing demands, reduce threats and decrease risks in the coming year, 43 per cent of survey participants expect to spend more on business communications solutions in 2007, and only seven per cent will spend less.