Security Top Concern for Cloud Storage

A survey of 912 businesses by Barracuda Networks, Inc. reveals that although 83% of businesses surveyed backup some part of their data to the cloud, there is a strong reluctance to embrace the medium fully. 

In fact, almost half (47%) of respondents store less than half of their data in the cloud and almost one-fifth (17%) do not use cloud storage at all.
 
Of the companies surveyed that are using a cloud storage solution, over two-thirds (69%) consider the data they store there as sensitive.  However, almost one-fifth (16%) of companies surveyed have experienced problems with their cloud provider. Of these, 42% had found that the data held by their cloud provider was not secure. Meanwhile, 40% claimed that data held in the cloud had not been available when needed and over one-third (37%) said their cloud provider had actually lost their data.
 
Further, approximately 89% of the firms surveyed cited the security credentials of their cloud provider as important or very important. Respondents said that they are more than twice as likely (53% vs. 23%) to trust a security vendor than a storage vendor to keep their data safe in the cloud.
 
Wieland Alge, VP and GM manager EMEA, Barracuda, comments: “Businesses are under no illusion that if they’re going to put sensitive data into the cloud, security must be at the top of their agenda.  The most trusted cloud providers will be those perceived as having the most secure credentials – credentials that can be earned by the integrity and reputation of the technology brands these providers use to protect their customer data.“
 
Key statistics from within the UK:

• Just 14% of UK firms store everything (100% of data) in the cloud and, of those that do, half employ over 500 people
• Almost one-fifth (18%) do not use the cloud at all and around two-thirds (61%) store less than half of their data in the cloud
• Of those with data in the cloud, almost one third (30%) are not confident about the security of it
• Over two thirds (67%) cite the security credentials of their cloud provider as very important, however, 17% have experienced issues with their cloud provider
• UK businesses are almost twice as likely to trust a security vendor than a storage vendor to keep their data safe in the cloud

Alge concludes: “The rapid and widespread adoption of cloud storage, along with the data security concerns that come with it, suggests that it’s the more security-minded cloud storage providers who are most likely to be the preferred supplier in the future.”

The survey was conducted by independent research firm EasyInsites and surveyed 912 businesses from across the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, US, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, from a cross section of organisation sizes.