Any discussion around cloud infrastructure services at some or the other hits a raw nerve – one that has to do with cloud security. There is no question that cloud computing is the most revolutionary trend in the digital era. Forecasts remain positive with analysts seeing revenues growing almost four times as fast for the cloud services market. These forecasts are triggered by the positives that cloud infrastructure offers including, anytime access, faster time to market and of course, cost advantage. Yet, when it comes down to taking the final step, CIOs and security officers are vexed. Their concerns, if we have to sum it up in one sentence, relates to the loss of control associated with the cloud. For decision makers, the cloud’s security ambiguity makes them nervous. They are used to protected security networks sitting in their respective premises and the cloud is a little too nebulous.
For example, a sales manager sitting in the comfort of his home logs into the enterprise network, which resides on the cloud. He is accessing data from the secure network, to close a customer deal. This is digital transformation for you. But for the IT manager who is responsible for information security, the feeling is slight different, “Every time someone logs into the network from a device, I feel as though my insides have been exposed. It is a feeling of vulnerability, which simply makes no sense!’
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His reaction stems from the fact that the cloud does not provide visibility into the cloud service providers’ processes and security procedures. There are of course reassurances, but none that can satisfactorily assuage the fears of data compromise or leakage – both of which can be disastrous for a company. Because of these concerns, companies vacillate between ignoring security issues in the cloud to ignoring the cloud itself. Turning away from the cloud, during tight IT budgets, can also be a challenge.
The best approach to adopting cloud infrastructure minus the worries is a holistic one. This requires looking at enterprise data in a structured manner and deciding which data should be moved to the cloud and which needs to reside on-premise. There are also some questions that need answers such as:
- How will data be protected during transit, storage and when in use?
- How to ensure security when data is being accessed on devices such as smartphones?
- What are the security measures that are built into the cloud architecture?
- How to ensure that private cloud service providers are compliant with security and regulatory requirements.
- Will adding security measures impact the overall cost benefit from cloud infrastructure?
These questions and many more like this stand in the way of cloud adoption. The IT managers who are responsible for budgets understand the value of cloud infrastructure. However, they need help to ensure that all questions related to security are answered in a way that makes complete business sense to them and their managers.
Trigent provides end-to-end cloud security solutions that meet privacy, compliance and business needs. Trigent’s Cloud Security Services range from Vulnerability Assessments to Security Advisory Services to Security monitoring and everything in between. Get in touch with us to know more about Trigent’s Cloud Security Services.
