Cloud Computing Spunje » Case Studies & Tutorials

Government Prepping Cloud Computing Guidance

Cloud Computing Spunje — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:44:00 +0000

Federal agencies in charge of the Obama administration’s cloud computing push intend later this year to issue a comprehensive government cloud computing strategy and new cybersecurity guidance for federal cloud computing, officials said in Congressional testimony on Thursday, as a new Government Accountability Office report urged the government to develop more final guidance.Federal CIO Vivek Kundra told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that the administration is making it a point to take a “deliberate approach” to cloud computing, beginning over the past year with working groups, summits, and establishment of a program management office and some pilot efforts.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/government/cloud-saas/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=225702093

As a report warns agencies won’t move forward without clearer policy, White House readies comprehensive cloud strategy and cybersecurity rules.

Juggling Risk in the Cloud Security Circus

Cloud Computing Spunje — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:50:45 +0000

Today’s headlines point to more sophisticated and large-scale and malicious online activities. For some folks, therefore, the consensus seems to be that the cloud computing model and vision are not up to the task when it comes to security.

But at the RSA Conference earlier this year, a panel came together to talk about security and cloud computing, to examine the intersection of cloud computing, security, Internet services, and Internet-based security practices to uncover differences between perceptions and reality.

http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/70195.html?wlc=1276540188

For reasons just and unjust alike, cloud computing has developed a reputation that makes some IT pros cringe when they think about security. What’s the difference between perception and reality in this field? It comes down to determining acceptable and comfortable risk. In the cloud, you can’t hide behind the usual firewalls and encryption systems; what matters is the application itself.

Cloud Computing And The Public Sector

Cloud Computing Spunje — Mon, 10 May 2010 20:48:14 +0000

Technology offers the greatest source for innovation in the public sector and one of the best examples falls within the area of cloud computing.

As I noted in a recent paper, the U.S. federal government spends nearly $76 billion each year on information technology, and $20 billion of that is devoted to hardware, software, and file servers.

Traditionally, computing services have been delivered through desktops or laptops operated by proprietary software.

http://www.thegovmonitor.com/world_news/united_states/cloud-computing-and-the-public-sector-30413.html

The Wing had 60 distinct file servers, but found that it utilized only 10 percent of central processing unit capacity. Commanders modernized their system and saved $180,000 per year in annual computing costs

Cost of security breaches triples in two years for UK firms

Cloud Computing Spunje — Mon, 03 May 2010 20:01:26 +0000

A record number of security breaches is costing UK firms billions of pounds, according to a new survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)

An average security breach costs a large UK firm in the range of £280,000 and £690,000, according to a biennial survey, conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers. This is a massive jump from between £90,000 to £170,000 in 2008, when the survey was last conducted.
http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/security/cybercrime/news/index.cfm?newsid=20048

It is probably no surprise then that the majority of respondents, 56 percent of large firms and 43 percent of small firms, expect even more incidents next year, which would be a return to 2006 levels. Only 16 percent expect fewer security incidents next year

Cloud and social media lead to security risks

Cloud Computing Spunje — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:09:18 +0000

Companies using cloud services are not taking adequate steps to protect their data. Just 17 percent of enterprises storing confidential data with cloud providers ensure the data is protected, even though 61 percent of organisations have reported a significant attempt to break into their data systems, twice as many as the previous year.

According to the 2010 Information Security Breaches Survey (ISBS) from PriceWaterhouse Coopers, there has been a big shift in the number of companies moving to hosted applications. Three-quarters of all enterprises now use services such as Software as a Service (SaaS) and cloud computing, and of these, 44 percent were entrusting critical services to third parties.

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/042610-cloud-and-social-media-lead.html

Companies should take better care warns PWC

Cloud computing and social networking exposes firms to cyber attacks and data breaches finds Infosecurity/PricewaterhouseCoopers research

Cloud Computing Spunje — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:06:12 +0000

Cloud computing and social networking is leaving UK businesses exposed to cyber attacks and data breaches.

The 2010 Information Security Breaches Survey (ISBS), commissioned by the Infosecurity Europe show and written by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, shows that as organisations have looked to cut their IT costs, they have increasingly turned to external providers who host applications on their behalf.

http://www.documentmanagementnews.com/the-news/general-news/52-data-security/527-cloud-computing-and-social-networking-exposes-firms-to-cyber-attacks-and-data-breaches-finds-infosecuritypricewaterhousecoopers-research.html

The survey findings were based on responses from security professionals at over 500 organisations spread across all industry sectors.

The Government’s laughable security strategy

Cloud Computing Spunje — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:01:50 +0000

Those of us who spend a lot of time in the world of IT security know that there’s no such thing as 100% security.

Sure, it’s a worthy state to aim for, but the reality is that there are no guarantees in this game – and too many possible variants to make any such claim. You can only do your very best to close all doors and lock them behind you, figuratively speaking, to keep your data as secure as possible.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/realworld/356842/the-governments-laughable-security-strategy

I realise that a fair few of you will have already fallen out of your chairs and be rolling around the floor laughing; after all, how could a “security expert” such as myself not realise that if the data had been encrypted there would have been no story?

Companies Slowly Join Cloud-Computing

Cloud Computing Spunje — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 09:42:02 +0000

This year, Netflix made what looked like a peculiar choice: the DVD-by-mail company decided that over the next two years, it would move most of its Web technology — customer movie queues, search tools and the like — over to the computer servers of one of its chief rivals, Amazon.com.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/technology/19cloud.html?src=busln

In Amazon’s model, businesses pay only for the computing cycles they use. Customers eliminate the upfront cost of computer hardware and can then buy more time on Amazon’s data center as needed.

Should the Government Develop the G-Cloud?

Cloud Computing Spunje — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 21:47:18 +0000

In the UK, we’re fairly well known for the amount of cloudy weather we have but it now seems we want more cloud – not only does it give us plenty of rain but apparently it also brings savings on a huge scale! Well that’s what the British government’s senior IT officers seem to think and they are relying on the Public Sector Network (PSN) and G-Cloud to help deliver some of the substantial £3.2 billion savings laid out in the Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP). So can the PSN and G-Cloud step up to the mark – Tom Brand, virtualisation lead at GlassHouse Technologies (UK) is not convinced.

http://www.itproportal.com/network/news/article/2010/4/8/should-government-develop-g-cloud/

It also requires significant changes in operational process to align to the highly flexibly and dynamic nature of cloud computing

Microsoft Promotes Gov 2.0 Through Cloud, Collaboration

Cloud Computing Spunje — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:01:51 +0000

Open government has become the buzz phrase in the Obama administration. When OMB Director Peter Orszag in December last year released the Open Government Directive to federal department and agency executives to expand upon President Barack Obama’s January memorandum on transparency and open government, he noted how transparency, participation and collaboration formed the cornerstone of an open government.

http://www.executivegov.com/2010/03/microsoft-promotes-gov-2-0-through-cloud-collaboration/

As for Microsoft aiding others through new technology, the corporation announced in the beginning of February how it plans to offer U.S. scientists access to cloud computing through its Windows Azure computing system.