IT Professionals Becoming More Comfortable with Security in the Cloud

Reduce Data Breach Damage by Improving Detection and Response

For a long time, security was one of the top reasons – if not the number one reason – why businesses shied away from using cloud computing.

That appears to be changing.

According to a new study from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), nearly 65 percent of IT professionals now say they trust the security of cloud computing as much as or more than their on-premise systems. The survey also found that the cloud isn’t the problem when it comes to securing data; instead, the absence of skilled cybersecurity professionals leads to cloud-based data loss.

As more IT and security professionals become familiar with cloud computing, it follows that there will be a greater comfort level with security within the cloud, Jim Reavis, CEO of the CSA, pointed out in a prepared release. For this reason, more are willing to take the chance to migrate more data to the cloud. Reavis added:

This survey provides excellent insight into what security professionals are doing to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of transforming their businesses into cloud-first organizations.

Also, because security breaches are so costly, whether they happen through the cloud or on-premises networks, more companies are relying on cybersecurity insurance to help cover costs. But this use of cybersecurity insurance has a downside.

One of the more troubling aspects to the survey involves ransomware, as eWeek stated:

Worryingly, 24.6 percent of companies said they would be willing to pay a ransom to hackers to prevent a cyber-attack and 14 percent said they would shell out more than $1 million.

And these companies are using their insurance policies to cover the loss by ransomware.

Reavis told the publication that he found that particular statistic “disheartening.” Security professionals are stepping up their game when it comes to the cloud – and perhaps overall security – but not enough to have a plan in place to handle data lost via ransomware.

My takeaway from the survey is that the concerns that always troubled security within the cloud aren’t so very different from security for on-premises networks and servers. No matter where the data are stored, skilled, knowledgeable professionals are necessary to apply and monitor the security systems, and all the cybersecurity insurance money out there isn’t going to protect you from data loss or reputation loss.

Sue Marquette Poremba has been writing about network security since 2008. In addition to her coverage of security issues for IT Business Edge, her security articles have been published at various sites such as Forbes, Midsize Insider and Tom’s Guide. You can reach Sue via Twitter: @sueporemba