Hybrid Cloud: Reducing the Risk of Data Breaches
Hybrid Cloud: Reducing the Risk of Data Breaches
The migration of data and applications to the cloud is becoming increasingly common today. While this setup offers greater flexibility, it also raises security concerns that should not be taken lightly.
Cloud adoption has now become essential for a growing number of companies. Storing data and applications in the “cloud” offers many advantages to those who implement it. “There is clearly an increasing need for flexibility in most companies,” explains Yvon Boutry. “The cloud is a tool that helps offload part of operational tasks and provides greater agility.”
However, this widespread migration to the cloud also raises important security questions. “We can see how much attention companies are paying to this topic by looking at the evolution of our own network security team: we have grown from 5 to 21 engineers in just six years,” illustrates Yvon Boutry.
Data compromise: the primary risk
In some sectors — particularly banking — significant investments have already been made to build highly secure private cloud environments. However, in a constantly evolving threat landscape, vigilance remains essential. According to Yvon Boutry, the main risk is data compromise.
“Data is now at the heart of most companies’ activities. If a cryptolocker renders this data unusable, a company can be paralyzed for several days. The impact on revenue can be considerable. The risk posed by such threats is therefore extremely high.”
In some cases, traditional segmentation and segregation strategies may no longer be sufficient to counter increasingly sophisticated attacks. “We are no longer dealing with 16-year-olds trying to have fun, but with groups sometimes funded by states aiming to destabilize others, equipped with significant technical resources and advanced skills,” he adds.
Maintaining a consistent IT and security architecture is key
How can companies benefit from the advantages of the cloud while avoiding exposure to attacks?
According to Yvon Boutry, the key is not to put all your eggs in one basket, but to distribute data across different types of cloud environments.
The solution is therefore a hybrid setup, combining the agility of public cloud services with the retention of the most sensitive and critical data and applications on-premises.
“It is undeniable that security control in a public cloud environment is not the same as in a private infrastructure. In public cloud environments, trust is key for companies. In an on-premises model, the company remains fully in control of its servers at all times,” says Yvon Boutry.
The future of cloud is hybrid
The future of cloud computing will likely rely heavily on hybrid models. However, this evolution will require the emergence of a new category of internal professionals: cloud specialists.
“These experts must understand the specificities of each cloud, ensure their coherence, and implement processes that guarantee security. They will also need to be creative in combining public and private clouds in the way that best meets business needs,” explains Yvon Boutry.
Different industries have different security requirements, particularly in regulated sectors. In finance, for example, regulators impose strict compliance rules.
As a Managed Service Provider (MSP), Proximus NXT Luxembourg ensures that compliance requirements are met while enabling customers to benefit from the agility and security mechanisms that only cloud technologies can provide.
