Data security continues to be the #1
reason to worry in cloud computing

Even as the world embraces cloud technology, and most companies understand their advantages, data security continues to be the top reason why companies are worried about using it.

Savoystewart.co.uk conducted a study polling 6,000 professionals in different European countries and the US, noticing that the thing most respondent fears are data breaches or unauthorized access to customers’ private data.

In general, the most worried sectors are financial, insurance, and healthcare. The financial industry is the most pessimistic regarding cloud computing.

What companies fear the most is that data breaches result in significant economic losses and, what’s worse, loss of reputation and customers’ trust.

Those fears are not just paranoia. Even as security improves, there still are some reasons for concern.

Cloud computing develops faster than data security

The most significant reason is that. We are more advanced in cloud computing that we are in protecting the data that’s stored in the cloud. Worldwide spending on cloud infrastructure reached $38 Billion this year. Cloud environments are way more complicated than regular security environments, which means they need extra effort in data security. Also, some customers initially relied on the cloud providers’ protection, which isn’t generally included with cloud services.

IT crews don’t think they have the tools to make the cloud safe

Most IT specialists don’t feel that traditional network security tools don’t work well enough in the cloud as most security platforms were not built to operate in the cloud. Yet, in conventional IT environments and data centers, which means they need solutions adapted for cloud environments.

Lack of visibility

Cloud computing generally means you don’t directly control the data center, so you don’t have as much visibility as you may want into your cloud security. That’s the case if you’re working on a public or hybrid cloud. It’s way harder to know if your data has been breached.

What if security is an afterthought?

As we said before, many companies rely on their cloud providers for security, and that’s a huge mistake. Specialized cloud security products must be integrated into DevOps processes.

Data security requires a specialized crew, not only in IT but particularly in cloud security, especially if you host sensible client data.

What about the legal issues?

Legal and regulatory compliance is an issue of concern for many companies. In countries such as the US, regulations are quite intricate, and failing to comply with them may lead to strong sanctions or even lawsuits.

Storing more and more data in the cloud due to its incredible benefits in costs, speed, and agility may lead to significant regulatory and legal complaints. Businesses such as healthcare providers are moving patient data into the cloud. Retailers and other types of companies are moving customer data to the cloud. That means companies must be completely aware of any compliance loopholes of issues they may have, even if they are trusting their cloud provider as a data custodian. A data breach may not only lead to significant losses, but to deep legal issues, too.