For the Cloud Security Threat Report, Symantec surveyed 1,250 security decision makers worldwide to understand the shifting cloud security landscape, the scope of shadow IT and shadow data usage, and to gauge the maturity of security practices as enterprises transition to the cloud.
We found that the complexity in the way the cloud is used creates serious visibility problems for IT. Tracking these cloud workloads is a universally recognized problem. Ninety three percent of survey respondents report they have issues keeping tabs on all their cloud workloads. And the problem will continue to grow rapidly.
Most IT and SecOps organizations are underestimating the amount of cloud in use and its growth rate. According to the survey, the average organization believes its employees are using 452 cloud apps. However, according to Symantec’s own data, the actual number of shadow IT apps in use per organization is nearly four times higher, 1,807. The survey found cloud app deployment increased 16 percent over the past 12 months and is expected to surge 22 percent in the next year. Given the significant underestimation of apps in use coupled with the rapid growth rate, organizations are facing a mounting challenge to secure their migration to the cloud.
