As a result of the rapidly intensifying popularity of cloud computing and BYOD, many companies are at greater risk of data loss and network infiltration, especially those that are still using outdated protection methods such as antiquated passwords and credentials. New technology, especially when the tools are used to store and manipulate data, represent novel security threats, and highlight the importance of modernizing protections.

Multi-factor authentication and several other types of new security solutions have stepped up in place of passwords and credentials to offer companies a more holistic and effective way to protect their systems and data. In the coming years, more firms will need to recognize the reasons why threats are proliferating so quickly, as well as how to defend against them in real time to avoid being victimized by data breach and fraud. 

Cloud begets rogue
Skyhigh Networks, a cloud enablement and visibility firm, recently released the results of a study which sought to discover just how common rogue IT has become amid widespread cloud computing deployments. The cloud market has grown more quickly than most other segments of corporate computing technology, and recent estimates put adoption rates in the majority of companies in North America and Europe. 

According to the firm, roughly 91 percent of the organizations studied did not have enterprise-grade security capabilities in place for their cloud computing systems, while only 9 percent performed well in this arena. This leaves far too much at risk of breach because of the prospect of rogue IT, which is a problem that many companies have been facing in the past few years. 

"Cloud services certainly enable agile, flexible, and efficient businesses, and employees should be encouraged to use services that best suit their working style and enhance their productivity," Rajiv Gupta, CEO Skyhigh Networks, explained. "However, it is evident from this study that too many employees are still unaware of the risks associated with some cloud services, and could even be jeopardizing the overall security position of their organization."

Considerations for businesses
Organizations cannot avoid certain IT trends such as cloud computing and BYOD, as the result of doing so would often be a strategic disadvantage given the benefits of these solutions. However, with the help of more progressive identity and access management solutions, organizations can safely and securely deploy these modern aspects of IT in a more efficient and effective fashion.