Qualys’ Philippe Courtot told conference that cloud computing could solve a number of security issues.
Cloud computing and off-site data storage are both key for the future of information security, according to one expert.
Philippe Courtot, chair and chief executive of security company Qualys, told attendees of the RSA Conference Europe this week that cloud computing was a security opportunity IT professionals should not miss.
"This is a fantastic opportunity to sit down with the Cloud Information Officer (CIO) and the production team to help build security into the cloud," said the expert.
And Mr Courtot went on to note that the growing reach of cloud infrastructure and the improved services available to large and small businesses alike means that now is the time to embrace cloud services and fully commit to the data security measures available.
The expert noted that new and more complex architectures did bring with them their own security challenges, but a proper analysis of the components and services needed to provide secure and reliable document storage could circumvent such issues.
For example, Courtot noted that physical security in place around datacentres was just one way cloud services providers kept third-party data secure.
"It is easy to build a fortress around datacentres and restrict what goes in and out," he said.
The expert finally noted that one advantage of a cloud computing system to deal with off-site data management and software solutions was the easily scalable nature of the operations. Mr Courtot noted that a number of existing and traditional security measures were lacking when it came to keeping apace with rapid business expansion.
"Scale is probably only something the cloud itself can solve," he said.
A recent study by the Cloud Industry Forum found that cloud uptake was on the rise among UK businesses, with the number of first-time users of such services rising by 27 per cent in the last year.
However, research also showed security concerns persisted among those yet to embrace the technology – but the scalable nature of such computing should serve to allay such fears in the future.