Doubling Down On Cloud Based Security
Cloud hosting has created a data storage Utopia. It’s cheap, it’s easy, but it it secure? It can be! But companies must remain vigilant.
There is no question that cloud computing has been the most disruptive force the IT sector has seen in a generation. Before cloud computing, physical space and other resources were required to store data companies run on. Without this limiting factor, companies enjoy everything from operational improvement and cost savings to flexibility and scalability – all thanks to the cloud. It’s no surprise that a reported 70% of businesses now operate, at least in part, on the cloud.
Emerging Concerns of Cloud Hosting
Despite all these unquestionable benefits, the massive shift to cloud computing does not come without its risks. The most profound of those is data security. If you switch your company’s data to the cloud without addressing the serious question of how you will keep it safe, you’re only completing half the job. This truth is backed up by data: a recent Cloud Security Spotlight report found that “90 percent of organizations are very or moderately concerned about public cloud security.”
Cloud security is such a concern because the risk of unwanted users getting access to your data is much higher than if it is stored internally. Moreover, risk assessment is not a one-time task for companies on the cloud. Tactics of hackers—who are always looking for “back-doors,” or vulnerabilities in the system—are always evolving. It is vital that cloud-based companies evolve with trends in the industry and are dynamic when responding to new risks. A recent paper in the Journal of Network and Computer Applications found that “[The Cloud’s] widespread usage is however being diminished by the fact that the cloud computing paradigm is yet unable to address security issues which may in turn aggravate the quality of service as well as the privacy of customers’ data.”
If you’re a company that has recently made the switch to being cloud-based business, here are some of the things you should be alert for.
Data Breaches
If you’re operating on a cloud basis, you are more vulnerable to data breaches. While this is not a reason to avoid the cloud altogether, it is a reason to double down on encryption. Making sure your data is not readable in a basic text format,unless additional layers of verification have been met. Therefore, in a scenario where an unauthorized user does get access to your data, they won’t be able to read it. As one blogger put it, “There is a huge consensus among technology experts that encryption of data goes a long way in ensuring protection of data on the cloud. So, never trivialize the importance of implementing data encryption empowered by a strong key management solution.” A change of attitude is required. Companies must accept that breaches WILL happen. The more important aspect is to ensure hackers can’t access the data easily once initial defenses are breached.
Data Loss
When your data is on the cloud, there is a whole host of threats that could result in its permanent loss. Threats include natural disaster, malicious attack or human error. Data loss can be catastrophic for a company, so it is vital you have a contingency plan if the worst occurs. If the only place you store your most vital data is vulnerable to attack or disaster, you obviously need to have a backup plan. Do you have one now?
Constant Monitoring
Your IT team should monitor and look for potential breaches. This way, you can fix them quickly and thoroughly when they occur. It’s not enough to take preemptive steps and rest easy. Constant vigilance and adaptation is required once you’re on the cloud. Watch out for any changed policies or practices from your cloud service provider, and make sure you’re not getting complacent. Be especially on the lookout for malware or malicious code that’s been injected into the cloud and running within the servers themselves, often undetected.