60 Second Interview - Panda Security
Prior to speaking at Infosecurity Europe, Petter Lautin, MD UK & Ireland, Panda Security shared his views on Cloud Computing and security services in the Cloud.
1. Is cloud computing the wave of the future?
Yes it is, without a doubt. In fact, according to leading international analysts, cloud computing is the industry segment that will experience the largest growth in the next few years. The adoption of cloud computing by market depends on the maturity in each country; at Panda we are seeing the cloud-based part of the portfolio is registering the greatest incremental growth. This rapid growth demonstrates strong demand among small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) and their solution providers for lightweight cloud security services that are significantly easier and less expensive to manage compared to traditional software alternatives, facilitating the increase in remote working and flexible infrastructure.
2. What is the difference between securing the cloud and buying security services in the cloud?
We feel that securing the cloud is to give protection to services hosted in the cloud, like ERPs or CRMs, both from the standpoint of servers, communication, access, etc. To provide security services from the cloud, means that you don’t need to make investments in infrastructure or install management software in house, as everything is deployed through the Internet, with remote access and the possibility of managing the security for the entire company using just an Internet connection and a browser.
3. What are the practical issues to consider when thinking about cloud security?
From the customer’s standpoint it is important to ensure that the cloud security service they are buying is beneficial overall and is provisioned by a trusted service provider. The practical issues to consider are that implementing security in the cloud can reduce Total Cost of Ownership by up to 50% on both infrastructure and support costs; it can also provide almost real-time protection against new threats (with no need to wait for updates).
4. What technology is needed to properly secure the cloud?
It’s hard for us to answer this question as Panda Security offers security solutions that operate from the cloud to protect end-user PCs and do not claim to secure the cloud.
5. Which security services are appropriate to be provided by the cloud and which are not?
The majority of IT security services can be provided from the cloud with the exception of those that require a physical element (e.g. two factor authentication).
6. When are cloud security services or even a cloud offering not a sensible option?
Cloud security services would not be recommended in an environment where there is limited or no connectivity to the Internet. Legislative requirements and risk-analysis of sensitive or mission critical data must also be accounted for before considering a cloud offering.
Find out more by attending the Discussion Den Session Securing The Cloud vs. Security Services In The Cloud at 15:00 - 16:30 on Tuesday 27th April
