STC and Thales Launch Cloud Encryption Service for Enterprises

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) and France-based cloud solutions provider Thales have announced the launch of a cloud encryption service for enterprise customers. The system will allow companies to store, control and protect their data. Thales signed an agreement with the Saudi operator to provide data encryption systems through STC’s cloud platform and to further develop secured cloud business in Saudi Arabia.
 
Thales’ Vormetric Transparent Encryption encrypts sensitive data before it leaves the enterprise and saves it in the cloud storage environment. This enables information security teams to establish the visibility and control they need to properly handle sensitive assets. The system is designed to ensure that data in the STC public cloud is secure and trusted.
 
Due to their ease of use and storage capacity, cloud services are proliferating in the business sector. However, because they are built on open, shared networks, there are security concerns that need to be comprehensively addressed in order for them to be viable for companies that must protect sensitive information. Firms such as Thales specialize in the creation of encryption services that are purpose-built for securing cloud storage.
 
As Philip Schreiber, regional sales director of Thales eSecurity Middle East, Africa and South Asia, put it, “It is a common misconception that by moving to the cloud, businesses are relinquishing all control of their data. By applying encryption and practicing secure encryption key management, companies can ensure that only authorized users have access to sensitive data. Even if lost, stolen, or accessed without authorization, encrypted data is unreadable and essentially meaningless without its key.”
 
This partnership between STC and Thales is a good example of how an MNO can get involved in delivering this vital service itself, instead of letting it be completely outsourced. By having Thales encrypt its pre-existing cloud service, STC is making itself more relevant to enterprises, which we believe could have a very positive impact on acquisition and retention of enterprise subscribers. Furthermore, in the present era of the telecom industry, as we have written previously, it is essential for operators to brand themselves as providers of far more than just traditional mobile connectivity. In order to do so, they may need technology partners and should be aggressive in finding them and setting up arrangements such as this one. 

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