CIOs Uncertain to Cloud-ify

Bangalore: IT security breaches have always been an issue of concern for CIOs and it has been bolstered since the introduction of neoteric trends in the IT Sector, ranging from mobility to cloud. The fact that hackers are constantly on prowl to grab enterprise data cannot be overshadowed. And so when it comes to incorporating cloud in their daily work operations the CIOs find themselves in a catch – 22 situation as reported by Help Net Security.

According to a report by the Cloud Industry Forum (CIF), that surveyed 250 IT executives in both private and public sectors, there was a significant increase in the number of cloud users in 2012 estimating to 61 percent in 2012 as compared to 41 percent in 2011. Surprisingly, around 10 – 12 percent of the respondents were unperturbed towards cybersecurity.

Nonetheless, CIOs are reluctant to shift to cloud despite the advantages it offers in terms of cost reduction and flexibility of service.

Ryan Rubin, UK Director of risk consultancy Protiviti, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Robert Half, states, “Whilst companies may migrate IT towards cloud providers in an attempt to reduce costs, they cannot outsource their information security risks. Unless adequately managed, the cost of security breaches - either regulatory and or legal - may outweigh the perceived benefits of moving into the cloud,” as per Help Net Security.

But with the availability of security measures such as improved physical security, business continuity processes, external audit provider as well as the means to identify management systems it just might prompt the CIOs to think otherwise and move to cloud.

Phil Sheridan, Managing Director, Robert Half Technology said, “Looking towards 2013, CIOs are charged with juggling multiple priorities, with regulation, integration and migration projects putting additional pressure on busy IT departments. But the risks of not migrating to the cloud, notably the achievement of significant cost reductions, may outweigh the potential security risks that concern IT executives.”

Another interesting finding from the survey was that around 45 percent of the companies do not test the security systems and procedures provided by the vendors despite the surge in the security threats.

“These statistics indicate that either there is an inherent trust in cloud service providers; that they have good security governance in place or there is a lack of visibility of potential risks associated with using them,” says Rubin.

He further informed, “However, there is also a potential risk that CIOs are not always involved in the overall business making decision to procure cloud services – limiting their ability to carry out effective due diligence before these services are adopted,” as per Help Net Security.

Whatever may be the case, cloud service seems to be an intriguing topic that needs to be handled with care and analyze the pros and cons before CIOs jump the guns on it.