Overheard – Security as a service

IT security typically has been deemed one of those services best provided in-house. But the stigma attached to outsourcing security and Security as a Service — namely that an outsider does not know your company well enough to protect it — may be falling away, as businesses look for more ways to cut costs. Linda Tucci,  Options for outsourcing security grow, offer IT budget savings

Today’s WhatIs.com Word of the Day is Security as a Service.

A word about definitions: Like most IT monikers, Security as a Service takes various shapes.

It can refer to a traditional managed services model, in which a company hires an outside provider to configure, manage and even maintain its security infrastructure. These services can be dispatched remotely using a connection over the Internet.

Another model, “in-the-cloud” services, allows a company to use security technologies that are not located on its premises. One such cloud service that has gained traction is email security: Companies point their email to a cloud-based provider for cleansing before it’s delivered to the on-premise mail server.

Web security is also catching on, as cloud-based providers have resolved latency issues.

A third model, Security as a Utility, usually refers to an arrangement in which companies pay a monthly fee to lease security hardware for their premises and pay for the services to manage and maintain it.