10-21-13 | Blog Post
KPMG, one of the largest auditors worldwide and contracted by the Dept. of Health & Human Services to conduct HIPAA audits, recently released data from their Technology Innovation Survey 2013: Disruptive Technologies.
Overall, the cloud ranked highest as the technology that will be the biggest driver of business transformation for enterprises over the next three years – outranking mobile, big data/analytics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology and more.
Fifty-eight percent of the companies surveyed said cloud and mobile will have the greatest impact in driving enterprise transformation. However, more findings revealed that the biggest challenge facing consumers in adopting cloud technologies in the next three years is their concerns around privacy and transparency of cloud providers (23 percent).
Cloud security has long been a challenge and a focal point of cloud providers, national governments and enterprises concerned with keeping sensitive data confidential while continuing technological advancement in order to keep up with data growth demands. To answer these security concerns, cloud providers have evolved their offerings to reflect the enterprise’s pain points with:
Encryption – With built-in, hardware-based encryption in the storage array of cloud infrastructure, encryption of data at rest can be achieved with no effect on system performance. The second step of encrypting data in transit – via SSL certificates, VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and two-factor authentication of VPN access – ensures data is protected everywhere. Visit our Defense in Depth page to learn what a layered security solution stack entails.
Enterprise-Class Infrastructure – The evolved cloud infrastructure should feature new technology, such as redundant blade chassis, blade servers and an advanced SAN (Storage Area Network) that encrypts data as its written to drives. Why is all of this required? Faster and easier deployment of new servers means time to market is decreased, paving the way for development and upgrades fueling your company’s growth. Not to mention the security benefits of encrypting data at rest to thwart hackers and data theft attempts.
Compliance, Of Course – Staying ahead of the security curve means being on top of compliance audits conducted by third-party auditors. HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOC 2, SSAE 16, Safe Harbor – they all mean different things to different people, but their common denominator is data security; a major game-changer for any cloud provider. Our Data Center Standards Cheat Sheet – From HIPAA to SOC 2 explains in detail.
Other cloud concerns included cost/pricing models (18 percent); ease of adoption/use (16 percent); and the ability to support new technology (16 percent). The top benefits of adopting cloud technologies were viewed as improved business efficiencies/higher productivity (34 percent); cost reductions (17 percent); and faster innovation cycles (16 percent).
The benefits can be realized with the right trifecta of security measures undertaken by quality cloud infrastructure as a service providers – Encryption, Enterprise-Class Infrastructure, and Compliance.
The increased cyber threats of hackers and data theft presents a strong case for employing encryption and infrastructure that both secures data while delivering strong computing performance for optimal data availability and reliability. In this white paper, different types of encryption will be discussed, including using encryption in the cloud.
Although encryption is not a silver bullet of data or system security, it is one key tool that can be accompanied by a full arsenal of security services for a layered-defense approach to ensuring data is protected, even if accessed by unauthorized individuals. Additional security options to add to your IT solution will be covered.
Download our latest white paper, Encryption of Cloud Data.
Learn more about cloud and encryption for security in:
Data Encryption Video: Challenges to Encrypting Data
Online Tech’s Senior Product Architect Steve Aiello continues his data security series of videos on data encryption by explaining the many challenges to encrypting data and walking through best practices for a high level of data security. There are many … Continue reading →
Making Cloud Encryption Easy to Implement for HIPAA and PCI Compliance
Online Tech’s Senior Product Architect Steve Aiello continues his data security series of videos on data encryption by walking through the steps that will make implementing data encryption for your business easier and more cost-effective. How can you make encryption … Continue reading →
CEOs Discuss Encryption for Healthcare
Last week marked an important deadline for physicians, HIPAA covered entities (CEs), business associates (BAs), and subcontractors to comply with HIPAA’s privacy and security requirements. Now any healthcare organization that supports the processing, facilitation, or collection of PHI (protected health … Continue reading →
References:
KPMG Technology Innovation Survey 2013: Disruptive Technologies (PDF)
