The rise of new technologies unfortunately brings with it an increase in cyber attacks. Hackers are constantly evolving and learning new ways to exploit vulnerabilities within IT systems. Therefore, businesses need to ensure their data stored in the cloud is effectively protected and has the highest levels of security measures in place. A security plan should include the following: multiple backup plans, real-time monitoring, encryption, two-factor authentication and limiting data access to just those who really need access.
Let’s run through some of the key aspects when it comes to protecting your data in the cloud:
Misconfiguration is actually one of the most common reasons for cloud data breaches. When you are setting up your systems in the cloud, take the time to ensure your systems are configured in the correct way & run tests to confirm this. Regular misconfiguration tests will allow you to find weaknesses in your systems before the hackers do!
Whether your data is being stored or transmitted, encryption is incredibly important. This means that even if your data does accidentally get into the wrong hands, they won’t be able to decode or understand the data, making it worthless to them.
Using access management software for your data means that different levels of users will be able to gain access to different parts of the data stored in the cloud. For example, you wouldn’t want your marketing team to be able to access the financial data for your company. The more granular control you can have over the data access permissions, the better.
Cloud backups are essential in order to reduce the risk of a cybersecurity breach. It is quite easy to set up automated backups that continuously upload data to a secondary location. This means data can be easily retrieved should the worse happen. We would always advise that you create multiple backups though – you never can be too safe!
You can never be too secure when it comes to storing your data, so it is important to keep updated with the latest software upgrades and new solutions. Updates are essential to maintain the integrity of your security system, and they also ensure you are complying with the latest GDPR too. Remember that as your business grows, your security measures will need to be upgraded to support this. New vulnerabilities are likely to emerge, so you need to be prepared for these!
There are so many different options when it comes to cloud hosting, we would always advise working with a cloud server provider that can provide the best solution for your business. Start by writing down a list of security goals that your organisation needs to meet, and discuss with potential cloud providers how they can help you achieve these. Meeting the compliance standards for your industry is the bare minimum, always strive to exceed these to keep your business data completely secure.
*This article contains general information in order to assist all of our customers and is meant for guidance only – there are no guarantees that the information we provide will be suitable for your particular needs. If you require specific assistance, we recommend that you seek professional guidance on your individual circumstances. Reality Solutions are in no way responsible for any loss or damage arising from any information contained within our articles.