Companies that have launched their data into the cloud might be doing so at a greater cost than what they hope to save. The lure of IT cost savings provided by cloud computing becomes a strong incentive in this economy, but many organizations are overlooking security and privacy, and a breach could destroy the savings they intend to gain.
I have read many surveys lately highlighting the adoption of cloud computing along with the pros and cons. No doubt, more and more companies are migrating to this technology, but what is now coming to light is the misconception of who’s responsible for securing customer data. In a recent study released by the Ponemon Institute, “Security of Cloud Computing Providers,” the majority of cloud providers (79%) allocate 10% or less of IT resources to security or control-related activities. They found that most providers believe their cloud services do not include the protection of sensitive data. Instead of security, cloud providers focus on cost and speed of deployment, the survey states.
As with any outsourced service, it’s important to vet the service provider to ensure their security framework supports your standards of access control and authentication. Qualify that the SLA meets your level of security and thoroughly understand the controls and testing of the provider. Attempting to achieve your required mandates of security later may be complex and more costly.
With that said, I strongly urge companies considering cloud computing to assess their security risks before they make the move. This will identify and close any gaps that might put them at risk.
NCX Group includes assessing clients’ cloud computing information risks as a part of our Secure24 security review to help identify any security issues or potential impact to their security architecture. As a standard, cloud computing services need to be mapped to a model of compensating security and operational controls, risk assessment and management frameworks, all while adhering to security compliance guidelines. NCX Group can help you achieve this goal.
We’re beginning to see hackers hit the cloud hard to capture easy data. Businesses will soon be forced into more heightened security measures as more critical data gets pushed to the cloud. Stay vigilant, stay aware.
Posted by Mike Fitzpatrick, CEO, NCX Group