PC Data Security Blog

Security even more of an afterthought today

It is no surprise that security tools remain a secondary purchase amongst IT executives well behind that of productivity tools. This secondary assignment has been exacerbated by economy-inspired belt-tightening. There’s simply no reasonable way to apply ROI a non-event – exactly the outcome we want when a security tool is deployed. Even Google, aggressively moving into applications and host of the Google I/O Developer Conference has seemingly given security short shrift. Our economy has been almost the sole story relative to all things business but I wonder how long it will offer a safe haven excuse for not adequately protecting data; particularly customer, client and patient data?

Cloud Computing in our Immediate Future?

The term Cloud Computing includes many areas of technology such as software as a service (SaaS), a software distribution method, a newer avenue; hardware as a service; all having in common that they are delivered over the internet, on demand, from massive data centers. Cloud Computing represents a fundamental shift in the way companies obtain software and computing capacity, using the internet to tap into everything from extra server space to software programs. Assigning these computing tasks to a remote location, not a desktop computer, laptop computer, handheld machine or the companies own servers is known as Cloud Computing.

Cloud Computing, once a concept, is now on its way to becoming a legitimate new technology and is gaining interest with forward thinking CIO’s. According to writer Nicholas Carr, Cloud Computing will put most IT departments out of business. “IT departments will have little to do once the bulk of business computing shifts out of private data centers into the cloud.” Nicholas also comments on the security issues facing this new approach to off load data centers. “One of the key challenges for corporate IT departments, in fact, lies in making the right decisions about what to hold onto and what to let go.”

Several issues worry CIO’s about the reliability and security of cloud based services. Down time on these services will now be out of their control, moving away form their current ability to maintain their own systems to insure up time. The ability to comply with regulations, including Sarbanes-Oxley, governing corporate financial reporting and HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is a major concern.

Due to the concern for reliability of system up time and the ability to comply with the many regulations now mandated on corporate and personnel data security, many CIO’s, analysts and vendors see the emergence of Cloud Computing happening only gradually.