Security as a Service is yet another branch of cloud-based services. It is referred to as SaaS, SECaaS and simply cloud security.
What is Security as a Service?
Security as a Service refers to a set of security based services delivered over the cloud. Similar to other cloud services such as storage and backup, businesses also have the option to outsource their security services. It’s a growing trend, as Gartner predicts that by 2020, 85% of large enterprises will rely upon a cloud security broker to manage their IT security needs.
Before cloud computing started dominating the tech industry, organizations relied on traditional security services. A traditional in-house security setup would include a specialized team who would be required to manage a company’s IT infrastructure with the help of security tools and applications in addition to securing their network(s) from data breaches, data theft, and data leaks. This model, while effective, also comes with some challenges of its own.
Challenges in Traditional Security & how Security as a Service helps overcome them
Listed below are some of the challenges faced by traditional in-house security teams, and how security as a service helps to overcome them.
Cost
Some of the challenges pertaining to cost that the traditional information security services face are:
- Costs that are caused by any minor or major information security incidents
- Costs that are caused due to purchasing and managing IT security hardware equipment’s
- Costs that are caused due to purchasing security software solutions
- Costs that are caused by change in processes and procedures
- Costs that are spent on the IT security personnel
Cloud-based security services eliminate all the above challenges since the security service vendor assumes these responsibilities.
And in addition to the above challenges, it is also necessary for companies to spend money on marketing and promotion, due to the competitive business environment. Businesses these days, especially larger ones, spend a great deal on marketing. Would you believe it if we told you Salesforce spends 53% of their revenue on sales and marketing?
Although “spend” is probably not the term they would prefer as it would much rather be considered an investment.
Hence, outsourcing security services costs a lot less for a company and it allows them to invest more on marketing and promotion which would help bring in more business.
Resources
“Resources” takes into account many factors. They are the employees managing the security, the applications being used and the infrastructure. Companies also depend on the expertise of the security team to be available and deliver when required. Businesses are heavily reliant on their internal resources and it poses a problem when all these resources do not work in conjunction and fail to deliver at the time of a security incident.
When security is outsourced, these issues are automatically taken care of. The service providers deliver services through their own infrastructure as well as the required tools and applications. Some services may also be delivered directly through a web interface.
Service providers have their own team of highly trained, educated, and highly experienced security professionals to be relied upon, usually available around the clock.
Shift of focus
Data is a company’s most important asset and hence data security naturally becomes a primary focus; unfortunately for some, it becomes the only focus. However, Security as a Service lets the company shift their focus to other verticals.
It helps a business focus on other important sectorssuch as marketing, finance, asset management, human resources etc. Courtesy of outsourcing, companies do not have to worry about most of the security incidents that arise.
Conclusion
Although Security as a Service caters to mainly to businesses, it still has something in store for consumers too. Its main purpose is to familiarize consumers and business end users with the benefits of its offering.
For instance, vendors like Cloudflare and Incapsula have a freemium service model for all users. While it offers the core basic security services for free, consumers are required to pay more to upgrade for additional features.
Such offers give users a hands-on experience with the security service while helping to build trust, and most importantly for the vendors, helps promote their company.
It is important to note that just like traditional in-house security setups,cloud-based security also comes with its own set of challenges. However, it is an agreed upon fact that security as a service is the next step in the world of security, since it is capable of fighting of new threats that in-house security may find a bit more complicated if not impossible to manage.
Author: CloudSecureTech
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