Virtualization & Security: One Common Mistake Many Firms Make & How to Fix It

As more and more companies migrate to working in a virtualized environment, the issue of how to keep data safe has become a top concern for system administrators. Following is a common mistake many firms make, and the relatively easy way it can be fixed.

Virtualization is simply another platform in a company’s structure that can be infiltrated by hackers. In fact, one of the main concerns surrounding the whole phenomenon of virtualization is the potential for human error, which many have said is the platform’s biggest flaw. This is not news.

What is news is the number of companies that utilize virtualization software to deploy projects without involving the IT security team in the preliminary architecture and planning stages. This is critical to working securely in a virtualized environment because without dedicated monitoring policies and procedures in place, it’s easy for system vulnerabilities to go unnoticed (and hence be exploited).

To avoid this, take the following three steps:

• Communication: Involve the IT security team from the very beginning. It can be practically impossible for IT to keep company data safe if they aren’t aware of what’s going on with the company as a whole.
• Training: Once IT is informed, they can then ensure that all parties are trained on what to look for security wise, and how to combat potential breaches.
• Tracking Procedures: Once the IT security team knows what to look for, they can then implement tracking procedures so that, for example, the first shift can inform the second shift of potential breaches spotted; what to be on the lookout for; and log that data so that the third shift is kept in the loop.

The bottom line is, keeping data secure in a virtualized environment is not only the responsibility of the IT department. Like any resolution to any problem in any situation, communication among all concerned parties is always key.