Conventional Data Security Measures Are More Difficult in the Cloud with More Organizations Turning to Encryption and Multi-Factor Authentication to Secure Data
A majority of IT organizations are kept in the dark when it comes to protecting corporate data in the cloud, putting confidential and sensitive information at risk. This is just one of the findings of a recent Ponemon Institute study commissioned by SafeNet, Inc., a global leader in data protection. The study, titled “The Challenges of Cloud Information Governance: A Global Data Security Study,” surveyed more than 1800 IT and IT security professionals worldwide.
Among the key findings, the research indicates that while organizations are increasingly using cloud computing resources, IT staff is having trouble controlling the management and security of data in the cloud. The survey found that only 38 percent of organizations have clearly defined roles and accountability for safeguarding confidential or sensitive information in the cloud. Adding to the confusion, 44 percent of corporate data stored in cloud environments is not managed or controlled by the IT department. And more than two-thirds (71 percent) of respondents say it is more difficult to protect sensitive data in the cloud using conventional security practices.
“The findings reveal that global organizations are struggling to secure data in the cloud due to the lack of critical governance and security practices in place,” said Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute. “To create a more secure cloud environment, organizations can begin with simple steps such as including IT security in establishing security policies and procedures; increasing visibility into the use of cloud applications, platforms, and infrastructure; and protecting data with encryption and stronger access controls, such as multi-factor authentication.”
“While the cloud has revolutionized the way IT is delivered, many IT organizations are finding it difficult to keep up with demand for these services and the security implications that are created when critical data is stored in the cloud,” said TsionGonen, chief strategy officer, SafeNet. “And as we’ve seen in 2014 with a raft of record-breaking data breaches, organizations are attacked frequently from different angles. In order to mitigate risk, there needs to be focused coordination and new approaches to securing data in the cloud, and IT needs to be at the center of this migration.”
