Cloud computing, mobile ushering in "major shift" for enterprise security practices

Gartner recently held forth on what it expects to be the top security trends for 2013, citing the rise of cloud computing, social media and employees bringing their own devices to work as among the forces likely to produce radical changes in how enterprises manage IT security. The market research firm also says the "major shift" expected in IT security in 2013 will shake up established IT security vendors as newer players in cloud and mobile challenge them. 


Earl Perkins, Gartner research vice president, said during a webinar with clients that the forces cited above, as well as an "information explosion" in the enterprise, are putting enormous pressure on enterprise IT professionals and vendors by "making some of the existing IT infrastructures obsolete." He added: "Will the major providers of security technology be the same ones in three to five years? The answer is probably not."

Perkins said Gartner analysts believe the vendors, service providers and value-added resellers of today are starting to feel the volatility of market changes wrought by the rise of cloud-computing services and new practices such as enterprises adopting smartphones and other mobile devices, and allowing employees to use their own at work. A large IT security firm such as Symantec, although certainly "aware and making changes" due to the growing importance of cloud and mobile, said Perkins, is nonetheless under pressure from many smaller companies that are "nimble" in introducing new technologies.

Mobile and BYOD "challenge the fundamental principles by which we deliver applications," to users and protect user data, said Perkins. It means "consumer identities" will need to be tied to "corporate identities" in terms of authentication, authorization and other identity access and management functions. There will be pressure to "manage diversity" in this, he added. And when it comes to access to cloud-based services, the goal will be to find ways for introducing cloud-based access and authentication so users will "enjoy" these services "adequately and securely" in what may be a hybrid-cloud environment with the enterprise network. 

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