TRENDING
organisation structures while influencing decisions about investing in security access management , cloud security , data security .
This has elevated the office of the Chief Information Security Officer , CISO , who have traditionally operated from a technocrat mindset of managing tactical risks , putting out fires , and enforcing compliance to being included in business strategy decisions and driving cybersecurity-enabled competitive advantage .
Now , these leaders increasingly report to the board and have more autonomy to make investment decisions .
We expect the adoption rate of sovereign cloud to grow significantly in the coming years as more countries and regions develop data sovereignty laws and initiatives .
Data privacy regulations and the geopolitical landscape are constantly changing , and these affect the control and flow of data . The coverage of these laws is fast expanding and by end of 2023 , nearly 5 billion people responsible for nearly 70 % of global GDP will fall under a privacy law . The stringent stance taken by countries against privacy violations with huge fines being levied on enterprises makes data sovereignty a key imperative .
By adopting a sovereign cloud solution , organisations can reduce the risk of data breaches , espionage , sabotage , while enhancing trust with investors , customers , and regulators .
The current adoption rate of sovereign cloud varies depending on the sector , industry , and geography . According to a survey by IDC in 2020 , 40 % of European organisations have already adopted sovereign cloud solutions , while 31 % plan to do so in the next two years .
The adoption rate is higher among public sector organisations , 49 % than private sector ones , 37 %, and among organisations in France , 54 % and Germany , 51 % than those in the UK , 29 % or Italy , 28 %.
Some examples of sovereign cloud solutions are Gaia-X : a European project that aims to create a federated data infrastructure that ensures data sovereignty , security , interoperability , and portability for European cloud users and Azure Government : a Microsoft cloud service that offers dedicated regions and compliance certifications for US federal , state , local , and tribal government entities , as well as their partners .
Margareta Petrovic ,
Global Managing Partner , Risk and Cybersecurity Consulting and Service
Integration , TCS
Alibaba Cloud is a Chinese cloud service that operates multiple regions within China and complies with Chinese laws and regulations for data security and privacy .
Vendor consolidation
Boards will have a dedicated cyber committee , and specific C-suite cyber performance metrics , while also requiring companies to mandate cybersecurity education and training programmes as further ways to mitigate cybersecurity risks and integrate cybersecurity best practices into any company-wide strategy .
Sovereign cloud
We expect the adoption rate of sovereign cloud to grow significantly in the coming years as more countries and regions develop data sovereignty laws and initiatives . When utilising this cloud , companies can safeguard valuable data and systems from unauthorised foreign access on a country or local level .
As business models involving digital ecosystems , complex networks of businesses , individuals and various systems and stakeholders that use technology to interact become more sophisticated , we expect cyber threats to be more imminent .
Right now , it is no longer feasible to address every threat identified in an organisation ’ s digital ecosystem . Because of this , it is recommended that enterprises adopt a continuous approach to threat management which involves expanding threat assessments to include integrated supply chains while consolidating vendors .
As cybersecurity threats emerge and evolve , organisations often respond by adding more
26 INTELLIGENTCIO MIDDLE EAST www . intelligentcio . com