Cloud computing can add an extra layer of security

Grazed from iHotDesk.  Author: Editorial Staff.

Contrary to what some people believe, cloud computing can work as an additional security measure.

Despite security issues being one of the biggest concerns brought up by businesses since cloud computing platforms began to take off a few years ago, John Dunn, security editor of Techworld, believes that the technology can actually help protect your company if used correctly.  Indeed, he feels that many people merely get the jitters when they think about off-site application hosting because, on the face of it at least, it does sound like a hacker’s dream.

"The security layer the companies have, the security software and products they buy and the infrastructure they run means there is a real move to actually buy that as a service," Mr Dunn said. "So all of the traffic that goes in and out of your company will come through a layer that’s run by a cloud company – it will be filtered and looked at…

"There are a number of things that gives you. If you’re a bank, for example, one of the big worries is what they call ‘man in the middle’ attacks. A cloud layer between yourself and your customers makes it much harder for man in the middle attacks to occur."

Telehouse, a company that runs 41 data centres worldwide, is a leading advocate of cloud computing and ensures its security is watertight by utilising a combination of firewalls and specialist software for detecting intrusion.

This software seeks out abnormal patterns from a network and can also spot traffic that is unusually heavy.

And potential security issues have not stopped companies looking into what the cloud can do for their business operations.

As well as reducing costs and freeing up operational time, Stuart Hibbert, chief executive of business tools provider icomplete.com said this week that the platform enables businesses to move forwards into bigger markets.