Cloud services is the general name usually attributed to all on-demand services made available to the user over the internet through service provider servers. These services include but are not limited to Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). Cloud services are designed to be simple, secure, scalable, easy to use, and cost-effective. We are currently in a worldwide transitioning phase as everyone is moving towards the cloud; but as we transition, it is necessary to know what impacts these cloud services will have in the future of IT and IT personnel. In this article we will be talking about what moving to the cloud means for data security, cyber-attack rates, and the future of IT professionals.
Advantages
In the field of security, moving to the cloud brings about security as a service (SECaaS) which offers so many features such as Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Web Security, Email Security, Network Security, Encryption, Security Assessment, and many more. SECaaS being deployed over a cloud means it has the benefits of remote administration and cost-effectiveness.
Additionally, SECaaS brings about faster user management, better security than normally available within the organization, complete removal of some administrative tasks such as log management and much more.
Drawbacks
Despite the cloud being more secured and all, there are still some loopholes with which attackers can easily threaten and look to intercept communication. The four main loopholes are:
- The send connection point for the send
- The receive connection point for the send
- The sending point for the return
- The receiving point for the return.
Mitigation
In light of protecting data and looking to mitigate attacks and close up these loopholes, there are many groups working to improve cloud security. There are a number of attacks which have been known to occur prominently in cloud computing systems, these attacks are mostly phishing and denial of service attacks. According to the latest CSA (Cloud Security Alliance) report the Egregious Eleven have posed the most dangerous threat to cloud computing based on a survey of 241 industry experts on cloud security issues.
Future
The introduction of cloud computing, however, could see some IT personnel sweat over their long-term future in companies as some IT services will no longer be required. IT roles such as system and database administrators would no longer be needed by organizations as all networking tasks are being handled by the cloud supplier. These administrators, however, may be needed by the cloud providers as more businesses seek to rely on the cloud, but the demand for these positions will take a decline. Internal IT support staff jobs are also set to reduce as very little has to managed on the side of companies since cloud providers handle most of the computing tasks of organizations. Now is the time for IT professionals to familiarize themselves with the skills needed to work in cloud computing positions.
Many companies are now switching to the cloud looking to gain access to remote data management and administration. Remote data management means employees must not be physically present in an office to work so companies can make profits without any definitive work environment. Cloud computing is thus a conclusive shift for the better in the IT world bringing in a more secure and less costly way to manage data within organizations.
