Cloud Storage – A New Set Of Security Risks

Users are adopting the cloud, either deliberately or through the back door, and the security implications could be serious, according to a webinar to be led on 29 September by eWEEK Europe UK editor Peter Judge.

Cloud storage is a hot industry topic, given the fierce bidding in which HP eventually bought 3Par – a cloud storage specialist. Amongst users, it is not usually so popular, as many organisations would refuse to store critical data off-site in a public cloud. Fears about the security of cloud storage have led some providers like Hitachi to offer cloud storage on users’ own sites.

But no matter how stern an IT department’s policy, inside most organisations there are people using cloud applications – with or without IT approval. These applications hold and use data out in the web, and that opens the organisation to a variety of risks.

Regulations and Risks

The issue of cloud storage security is therefore a concern for any IT manager, and it will get a good going over, from an online panel including  Tim Waldron of NetApp, Ian Osborne, of Intellect and Dr. Guy Bunker from the Jericho Forum.

The webinar will look at what cloud storage entails and the kind of risks it produces … as well as neatly combining three of our top buzzwords. The webinar’s panel will consider what cloud storage is, and what the threats are.

As well as data loss, corruption and attacks of various kinds, cloud storage can also open organisations up to risks including legal trouble, breaching business regulations, and simple interruptions to service.  The webinar will give pointers on how to address those problems.

The webinar is part of a virtual summit at BrightTalk on enterprise storage, with slide-audio presentations taking place throughout the day, covering the gamut of storage including tiering, virtualisation and cloud backup.