For the uninitiated, the thought of securing the cloud may be inconceivable. 100% cloud security is possible when you strictly employ security measures and every employee has been trained about internet safety and protection. But since people are not 100% perfect, the cloud cannot be totally protected.
According to a report, 94% of companies worldwide use cloud computing. But on the other side of that statistic is the report that 45% of company breaches happened on the cloud.
While cloud computing is a necessary investment for companies, it must be complemented with stringent cloud security measures.
Check out the following ways to secure the cloud:
More than half of data breaches are due to human error. They occur due to the following:
For example, an employee receives a phishing email. Because the message looks so real, they click a link and enter company information in a form. In no time at all, malicious parties have hacked the company’s systems and compromised their data.
Had there been proper education and training, all employees would have been apprised that most phishing emails appear like the real deal.
All employees must undergo cloud security training before they can gain access to internal systems. They must also get updated security education at least once a year to understand emerging threats. And most importantly, they must follow established security procedures to ensure company information will never be compromised.
Creating such policies is also vital for companies that accommodate remote work. Employees must abide by specific rules while working from home to ensure their company files remain confidential and safe.
Even if you have seemingly achieved 100% cloud security, you must not take it for granted. Remain aware of the possibility of a breach and always be alert for possible cybercrimes and glitches.
It is wise to have backups stored in multiple data centers. This way, if specific issues arise, you can easily recover data.
Backing up data can be a defense against ransomware, although not unequivocally. You don’t have to pay the ransom because you have copies of the files. However, there is still the threat of company or personal information being leaked, so cloud security is still needed. Back up cloud-based files regularly—at least once a week, ideally every 24 hours.
Strong passwords should be a no-brainer, but many people don’t have them because it is hard to remember them. According to a study, 75% of Americans are incredibly frustrated with keeping track of passwords. More than half of respondents report that they just use their names and birthdays for simplicity. However, cybercriminals who can easily access this information can then easily breach cloud security.
What constitutes a strong password?
Other tips to maintain strong personal and corporate security:
According to Microsoft, accounts are 99.9% less likely to be compromised when you use multifactor authentication. It is the process of completing at least two steps before you gain access to your account.
For example, after you enter your password, you will have to enter another unique code sent to you via text message or email. This significantly enhances security, which is why it is a highly recommended practice.
Access to sensitive company data must be a matter of privilege. Only those who have a direct role in the maintenance of specific information should be able to access it.
The first step is identifying your cloud assets, such as applications, databases, servers, etc. By doing so, you can assess how sensitive the asset is and what type of protection is needed. Assigning roles would become easier—only those with direct participation can access a particular asset. Institutionalize your “privilege roles” policy so it can be passed on correctly in the event of employee turnover.
Employee turnover is expected as new team members are hired to replace those who leave or retire. And whenever an employee leaves, it is critical to immediately cut off all their access and disable their company accounts.
It’s not about the employee possibly being untrustworthy. It’s that IT departments don’t usually monitor inactive accounts, which become entry points that bad actors may see as an opportunity to compromise the system.
Companies maintain robust firewalls so employees cannot access websites that would distract them from their work. But more importantly, inbound and outbound firewalls are imposed to limit the ingress and egress of sensitive data.
Invest in a reliable security system for your cloud and update it regularly. It is a serious investment, but such a system is critical for any business operating on the cloud.
A reliable cloud computing company will provide robust security in its service package. But you must also have your own security software within your company’s ecosystem, such as the best antivirus software to protect against a variety of cyber threats.
More than simply installing security software is required. All updates from the developer must be installed upon release to ensure your system benefits from its evolving features.
A robust security system monitors the cloud continuously and detects threats in real time.
As more and more entities turn to cloud-based systems for personal or professional use, bad actors are also finding more ways to penetrate those systems. Cloud security is more important than ever, and companies need a mix of security software, institutional policies, and individual cognizance of security threats.