Beware of security risks in cloud computing: Expert

Manama : Although Bahrain’s proactive initiatives to adopt cloud computing will have its benefits, it also comes with an added burden of cyber security risks which must be carefully monitored and managed, according to a veteran cyber security expert.

Bahrain must pay close attention to the cyber security threats that follows as a result of the adoption of cloud computing, Ljupcho Joshevski, Senior Cyber Security Technical Lead at CISCO said in his key note speech at the Meet ICT event yesterday. The private sector as well as the public sector have been adopting cloud computing, this is expected to gather more pace as Amazon Web Services (AWS) chose Bahrain to open its data center.

“What has changed over the years? Years ago a company would have their data center, computer and storage devices in one place and the company owns all of it. Security was simple back then as the only thing you had to protect was that parameter. We do not live in the world anymore. Now we have alot of remote users and have data that’s stored in the cloud and we even access application that is stored int he cloud. Cloud application are now on a hype. A perfect example for Bahrain is the adoption of AWS and all the applications and data you are able to store in AWS cloud. This is not a bad thing, this actually quite positive, its a great thing to adopt a new technology and to make it consumable. But we have to be ready to protect this extended network environment that we are in today,” he said.

“The threats are becoming more and more advanced, because of the expansion of our networks there are more and more different ways how the attackers can come in. The attacks that are being developed are not just with one vector of attack, but they are a combination of attacks,” he said. He urged governments and companies to study the risks associated with cloud inorder to counter any attacks effectively.

Meet ICT ran parallel with BITEX, an exhibition focused on the ICT sector at the Gulf Convention Centre. The event, was held under the patronage of the Minister of Transport and Communications Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed and organized by BTECH in collaboration with WORKSMART event management.