Security threats in the future of cloud computing

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Information security is the most important aspect of the cloud industry. Massive amounts of sensitive information are uploaded into private clouds, and cloud services providers must utilize impregnable security services like VPN encryption to ensure that their clients' data remains accessible only to those with proper authorization. A business upgrading to cloud services must keep several things in mind when speculating on the near future of cloud security.

Current reports dictate that hacking and online theft will increase exponentially in 2012, and that any business can expect an eventual security breach by such criminals. When it comes to information security, anticipation can only go so far, because a diligent enough a hacker will eventually find a loophole to squeeze through. Managed security services should be prepared to not only combat intrusion methods, but to detect when an invasion succeeds and isolate the hostile program.

Recent hacks of celebrity mobile devices have shown the industry that no smartphone or tablet is exempt from security risks as well. As more financial data becomes accessible on such platforms, the challenge is addressing the duality of the situation - mobile device management will have to provide security solutions in anticipation of real-world theft, as well as virtual threats like spear-phishing. Though far less prevalent, the more subtle risks of programs like mobile malware will need to be accounted for as well, because just as with personal computers, smart devices can be infected by simply opening a corrupt file.

Social media is intrinsic to successful online marketing strategies today, and private demographic information stored on cloud networks is a tempting target for cybertheft. For example, Sony's Playstation network was hacked in 2011, compromising 70 million customers' data. The new year promises an unrelenting assault, as Zappos.com was recently hacked just two weeks into 2012, revealing private account information of 24 million clients. Businesses are vulnerable when accessing public clouds, and should employ measures like a cloud based VPN (Virtual Private Network) to ensure that a connection is secure.
The expected rise of global managed services in 2012 will only encourage the community of cyber-criminals to exploit the cloud computing world for personal gain. While mobile security is the current trend for cloud services, security providers will have to make sure that they have all angles covered in the ever-changing cloud industry.