Obviously there is a lot of concern over the state of cloud computing security for both the applications and the platforms they run on. But one thing that many people forget is that wherever applications go, security software tends to follow.
As noted by Qualys CEO Philippe Courtot, it’s only a matter of time before security software is running in the cloud alongside our applications. In fact, Courtot says it’s a short jump from running security software on a physical appliance to a virtual appliance. And once the security software runs on a virtual appliance, it can run anywhere in the cloud.
The issue, says Courtot, is not whether this will happen, but which of the security vendors will win the race to make this happen. Courtot contends that Qualys, which already remotely manages security software deployed on on-premise appliances, is close to making the leap to a virtual appliance architecture.
Most people recognize how cloud computing is being used to transform the way security is delivered and managed on premise. The security scenario that Courtot envisions essentially amounts to a fabric of security software that will be deployed both on-premise and in the cloud. And if Courtot has his way, it will happen soon.