Securing the Cloud: Reaping the Rewards of BYOD

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Securing the Cloud: Reaping the Rewards of BYOD

By Erin Harrison, Executive Editor, Cloud Computing  |  January 25, 2013

This article originally appeared in the Q1 -2013 edition of Cloud Computing Magazine.

The Mayans predicted that the world as we knew it would come to an end on Dec. 21, 2012. However, since this first quarter of 2013 issue of Cloud Computing has found its way to you, we are obviously still here.  

Predictions are usually made based on facts and experience, but sometimes these forecasts prove inaccurate. In the ever-changing landscape of technology, it can be especially difficult to foretell what specific outcomes will come to fruition. Nevertheless, it’s the job of analysts and prognosticators to size up the year ahead in technology.

As we start a New Year, many predictions have been made about cloud computing and how this disruptive force will continue to evolve in 2013. Gartner (News - Alert) said recently that 2013 is going to be about expansion of cloud computing and the struggle by the enterprise to achieve appropriate security for it.

“Increased adoption of cloud-based computing is expected to impact the way security is consumed as well as how key government agencies will prioritize security of public cloud infrastructure,” according to Gartner analysts Ruggero Contu, Lawrence Pingree, and Eric Ahlm.

Increased adoption of cloud-based computing is expected to impact the way security is consumed as well as how key government agencies will prioritize security of public cloud infrastructures, the analysts’ say. This overall trend will lead to more managed security services providers through cloud delivery.

According to Gartner, 33 percent of all organizations currently have BYOD policies in place for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The policies and tools initially put in place to deal with mobile devices offering consumer-grade security need to be revised to deal with these devices being under the ultimate control of a private user, rather than the organization, explains Dionisio Zumerle, principal research analyst at Gartner.

And for organizations that have embraced software-as-a-service (SaaS (News - Alert)) solutions, BYOD can actually make data more secure, according to Backupify’s Rob May, who writes about how to make data more secure with BYOD in this issue of Cloud Computing (see page XX).

While BYOD can’t make your data indestructible, when combined with proper IT policies, regular employee training and comprehensive data backup, May says it can ensure the integrity of your company data while supporting a more flexible, productive workforce.

Regardless of which predictions come true this year, organizations that take a strategic approach to security policies and continue to play an active role in security and risk management even after they choose a cloud service provider will reap the financial rewards of managed cloud applications and services.




Edited by Brooke Neuman
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