IT professionals question cloud security standards

A study recently conducted at the Def Con 2010 Hacker Conference found 96 percent of respondents believe cloud computing presents greater opportunities for cyber criminals to exploit vulnerabilities in security.

The overwhelming sentiment originates from the belief that companies using cloud computing - whether it’s for SaaS applications or website hosting - do not adequately secure their networks, which 89 percent of the 100 IT professionals surveyed stated. The cloud has become a crucial element of enterprise IT operations, primarily due to the flexibility it provides its users without forcing them to spend too much. Furthermore, smaller companies can use technology that was previously too expensive for them at a fraction of the former cost.

“More than anything, this research confirms our ongoing observations that cloud vendors - as well as the IT software industry as a whole - need to redouble their governance and security assurance strategies when developing solutions, whether cloud-based or not, as all IT systems will eventually have to support a cloud resource,” IT security expert Barmak Meftah said.

In terms of web design, cloud computing has enabled smaller companies to use highly capable solutions without having to invest in servers and other hardware required to manage and protect data.