Best Practices for Securing the Cloud

Businesses can get a lot of benefits from using the cloud, but not without a bit of risk. Storing and using data using the cloud is very convenient but people must take some precautions to reduce the risks. Before a business owner embraces the cloud, they should take the time to understand how it works and what the risks are. Why not use this information to protect the company cloud account from potential risks?

Get to Know and Understand the Cloud and Its Security Risks

One important piece of information to learn and understand is the DevOps security that is necessary for the cloud. All business owners should be careful to identify their sensitive data and learn how it can be accessed, used, and shared. Keep an eye out for unauthorized cloud use. Watch the infrastructure used to minimize the risk for lost data or a breach.

It is also important to keep an eye out for employees or third-party attackers trying to use the data stored on the cloud for malicious purposes.

Making an Effort to Protect the Cloud

There are a number of effective steps business owners can employ to protect their cloud data from breaches and the following dangers:

Data Encryption

All data, including sensitive data, needs to be encrypted. The company IT employees should be using a unique key for encryption to make it harder for third parties to decrypt the important company data. This step limits access to important data to authorized employees.

Limits Must be Set on Data Sharing

There should be a company policy and limits on how data on the cloud is shared. Appoint specific groups to view and edit sensitive data. Set firm limits on who can receive data externally so sensitive information remains within the company.

Only Allow Managed Devices To Recieve Data

Though one of the advantages of storing data on the cloud is that it can be moved to any device that can connect to the cloud, limits must be enforced. Take steps to ensure that only managed devices can receive sensitive data. When there are no limits on what devices can receive data, it can be breached or stolen.

Use Malware Protection

It is worth the investment to install a good malware system to protect information stored in the cloud. Anti-malware software works with the cloud and laaS environments and can be added to existing operating systems. This protection shields sensitive data from potential attacks or theft. There are also options like whitelisting and machine-learning protection to add another layer of security.

Quickly Respond to Security Issues

Even with the best data protection programs, there may be attempted access and security issues. A company’s owners and IT department employees should be trained to spot security issues and respond to them quickly. Quick action can prevent data from being viewed or stolen.

These Actions Work:

• Install Two-Factor Authentication which requires potential users to use two methods of identification to access data. This helps spot attempts at breaching the system when multiple attempts are made and fail.
• Malware Must Be Quickly Removed When Discovered by running programs designed to spot malware. Make sure the malware is completely gone and check to see if any company data has been compromised.
• Find and Close Security Gaps after program changes are made or large blocks of data are added. Run penetration testing on a regular basis to discover security gaps and close them.

Remember that security is an ongoing rather than a one-time concern. In addition to installing effective security measures, the IT department of a company should be on constant alert for potential security issues. Routine scanning can catch malware that is present or close gaps that can allow future malware into the system. Any newly discovered gaps in security must be closed quickly to prevent unauthorized access to company data.

Continuous scans can find any potential risks and correct them before harm is done or data breaches happen.

Don’t be afraid to make use of the cloud to store company information because it is a very good tool. It makes storing and accessing important company data easier and more convenient. It can also help a company save money on operation costs and keep better track of customer and company records. It is important to understand how the cloud works and what security steps should be taken to make its use safe and secure.

Having very qualified people working in the company IT department and helping them keep their skills up to date will go a long way in mitigating any risks involved in using the cloud. A good IT department and security programs updated as needed will go a long way in keeping the cloud environment more secure. Being on the alert for attempted data breaches and malware can prevent security problems or fix them quickly.