Cloud has changed the way IT industry operates altogether.
More than a technical concept, cloud computing emerged to become a mindset in the IT industry because of its smart solutions in getting things with minimized manpower.
Before it was like the cloud-first policy! Now, things have changed to ‘cloud-must policy’ going by cloud technology’s penetration across the private sector.
Interestingly, the public/government sector is also showing high interest in adopting the cloud trend. Many governments across the world are already doing that.
As far as the government sector is concerned, the cloud market is expected to become a USD 49.2 billion market by 2023.
“The key to successfully implementing cloud in government is accounting for the unique technical, organizational, procedural and regulatory issues of individual organizations,” says Neville Cannon, Research Director at Gartner, citing high scope for private cloud trend in the government sector.
While this is how the industry is responding to the cloud, various technology leaders and security experts are having a close watch on the security aspect of the cloud.
Cloud Security under Serious Consideration
Many private sector technology leaders are keen on new cloud architectures with key emphasis on the security aspect of it.
In the process, many of them are already developing solutions and adopting continuous monitoring tools to evaluate the firm’s cyber exposure, alongside strengthening their cloud computing efforts.
Some have also developed processes to identify risk from their cloud vendors and monitor how cloud vendors protect data.
Many organizations were also found to be implementing Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solutions, which Gartner defines as a cloud security policy enforcement procedure between cloud service providers and consumers.
“Organizations are increasingly turning to CASB vendors to address cloud service risks, enforce security policies, and comply with regulations, even when cloud services are beyond their perimeter and out of their direct control. …” says Gartner.
Key functions of CASB includes:
- Discovery of cloud applications used
- Data Security
- Protection against threats
- Ensuring compliance with corporate policies
One of the market’s leading cloud security solution providers says that 60 percent of large companies will have CASB in their organization by 2020.
Top three cloud security trends as identified by experts:
#1 Demand for Information as a Service (IaaS)
In view of the growing concerns over theft and loss of data, many companies are keen on using enhancing governance to avoid such scenarios. Security assessment, continuous monitoring and need for effective methods to prevent data loss, malware and other threats continue to be major concerns, which the customers are more likely to rely on vendors for.
#2 Cloud for Cyberattacks
Apart from usual ways of breaching as ransomware and crypto-jacking, among other malicious activities, hackers are making their ways to use cloud for cyberattacks. Experts feel that this trend would become worse in the future.
#3 Workforce
Security practitioners are focusing on solutions that can give clear insight into real-time protection of cloud activity without ignoring key employee tools.
Experts feel that the companies need to keep a close watch on multiple channels data communication platforms as the demand for cloud expansion and shareable data increases.
Reports show that 54 percent of the firms are worried of outgrowing their existing security solutions in view of the cloud security trend that is expected to be a top priority over 2019 and further.
Overall, the adoption of cloud security management tools and focus on CASB solutions are being sought as best solutions to achieve better results in cloud security.