Thoughts on encryption legislation – and the real ‘link’ between 5G and coronavirus

Opinion Conspiracy theories are nothing new, but the recent one that blamed the rollout of 5G networks for the spread of Covid-19 is one of the more bizarre examples in recent memory. Not only is it very obviously untrue to anyone that understands either the technology or virology, but there is also little real correlation. New Zealand which was one of the first countries to declare itself virus-free is accelerating its current 5G rollout while Brazil and the USA which have seen the highest...

21 July 2020 | Compliance

Pentagon rules that Microsoft’s $10bn JEDI cloud contract award was fair

Updated A report from the Inspector General at the US Department of Defense (DoD) has ruled that the DoD's award of the JEDI $10 billion cloud computing contract to Microsoft was fair.

Following the announcement that Microsoft had won the contract back in October, Amazon Web Services (AWS), seen by many in the industry as the favourite, said it would appeal the ruling.

This duly happened; in November reports came that AWS had filed the paperwork, while in February AWS...

16 April 2020 | AWS

Enterprises need cloud for innovation but security and automation gap remains, says report

The gap between the haves and have nots when it comes to enterprise cloud implementation continues to be ploughed: according to a new study from security provider DivvyCloud, less than half of enterprises polled are equipped to operate in the cloud securely.

The 2020 State of Enterprise Cloud Adoption and Security report, which polled around 2,000 IT professionals, found that while 85% of enterprise organisations believe cloud adoption is necessary for innovation, only two in five...

15 April 2020 | Compliance

What will drive 2020 in cloud governance? In a hybrid world, a solid strategy is key

Now that we are a few weeks into 2020, we should consider what lies ahead in the ever-evolving world of cloud governance. What seems certain is that when it comes to IT governance there is still the same need to balance the benefits of agility and speed which come from decentralisation, against key business risks be they security and/or cost management.

In fact, what is meant by cloud governance really...

13 January 2020 | Compliance

How to improve cloud management through a cloud resource tagging policy

Good cloud governance relies on good tag hygiene: a disciplined, well-designed approach to tagging.

In the multi-cloud environments that enterprises are embracing, implementing enterprise-grade cloud governance platforms is the key to successful management of highly complex pricing structures and evolving cloud services. Using automation to maintain good tag hygiene will support critical governance...

23 December 2019 | Compliance

Tipping the scales in the cloud: From security risk to security’s friend

Cloud first, that’s the mantra for many organisations today. So, how curious that there was once a time when adoption was not so straightforward.

Many saw the cloud as an experimental technology suitable for nothing more important than storing holiday photos, while others cited security and compliance concerns as obstacles to adoption.

Perceptions...

4 June 2019 | Compliance

How to improve privileged users’ security experiences with machine learning

Bottom line: One of the primary factors motivating employees to sacrifice security for speed are the many frustrations they face, attempting to re-authenticate who they are so they can get more work done and achieve greater productivity. How bad security experiences lead to a breach Every business is facing the paradox of hardening security without sacrificing users’ login and system access experiences. Zero Trust Privilege is emerging as a proven framework for thwarting...

31 May 2019 | Applications

Continuous compliance, continuous iteration: How to get through IT audits successfully

For most students, exam days are one of the most stressful experiences of their educational careers. Exams are a semi-public declaration of your ability to learn, absorb and regurgitate the curriculum, and while the rewards for passing are rather mundane, the ramifications of failure are tremendous. 

My educational experience indicates that exam success is primarily due to preparation, with a fair...

15 March 2019 | Compliance

Why standardisation is good for NetOps: Innovation instead of impediment

Standardisation is sometimes viewed as an assault on innovation. Being forced to abandon a polyglot buffet and adopt a more limited menu will always sound stifling. That may be because standardisation is often associated with regulatory compliance standards that have official sounding names like ISO 8076.905E and are associated with checklists, auditors and oversight committees.

The reality is that there...

14 March 2019 | Compliance

Healthcare firms go for the hybrid cloud approach with compliance and connectivity key

It continues to be a hybrid cloud-dominated landscape – and according to new research one of the traditionally toughest industries in terms of cloud adoption is now seeing it as a priority.

A report from enterprise cloud provider Nutanix has found that in two years’ time, more than a third (37%) of healthcare organisations polled said they would deploy hybrid cloud. This represents a major...

18 February 2019 | Compliance