Strategies for enhancing cloud data security
By HSI | February 15, 2017
From vision to reality, cloud computing has traversed the journey in a short period. The idea of resource pooling and pricing based on usage is transforming the nature of business. To use the cliché of paradigm shift is apt as individuals and business enterprises store massive amounts of data while flexibly accessing the information on demand. The benefits are untold from this disruptive technology. Companies can scale up or down ensuring the best ROI (return on investment). The implications are just starting to assert as the future beckons.
However, change also brings new challenges. Security of the data stored in the cloud is creating formidable constraints. Relinquishing control of data to cloud service providers requires assessment of risk particularly towards data integrity. Several internal and external threats are beyond the supervision of the user. Although infrastructure by the cloud service providers are powerful and redundancies built in examples of data outages keep making the news. For instance, a major underwriting bank in Great Britain was under a DOS (denial of service) attack in the second week of January 2017. The threat lasted almost two days. Several customers of the bank were experiencing problems accessing their accounts. The technology platform of this bank also hosts several other financial giants which resulted in their clients also experiencing issues.
Aim of data audit
Data integrity protection is of critical importance. Third party audits of cloud data are gathering speed, and fast approaching take off point. The purpose of reviewing the data comprises the caveat that no new threats introduced while still maintaining data privacy. Further additional online resources should not be conditional on the user. Efficient auditing tasks by the third party are now the most important domain in IT managed services. Mitigating risk associated with data attacks and breaches is the leitmotif of data leak prevention and accorded the highest priority.
Data security services face the challenge of efficiently verifying the integrity of the outsourced data without owning the data or a copy of it. Data sizes are large and checking the integrity before the data is corrupted or breached requires resources from the service provider of the highest caliber. The capability and expertise of the data audit or recommending data security solutions must also pass the trust factor from the user.
The Hitachi Systems Micro Clinic spirit
Few business entities are providing this level of expertise and competence. One such entity is Hitachi Systems Micro Clinic having access to the brightest brains in assessing complex, disruptive technologies. Our security specialists are leaders in this domain allowing the creation of security solutions as per changing environments. Under our watch email based threats, denial of service, directory harvest, and other targeted phishing attacks are contained. Another feature of our solutions includes concealing LAN (local area network) address from outside users providing security. Securing login credentials with 2-factor authentication procedures is a feature enjoyed by users. Hitachi Systems Micro Clinic owes its success due to the Makoto (in Japanese) vision statement which means owning decisions and collaborating with sincerity while operating with the highest integrity.