If you decide that cloud computing is the right direction for your company, it is crucial that you thoroughly research every provider that you consider.
Cloud computing has gained a lot of popularity recently. It is estimated that around 70% of American businesses are using cloud computing in some way. Why is it so popular? Well, you can store massive amounts of data in the cloud, and data stored there is, in theory, accessible anywhere to the person with the right login credentials. Unfortunately, it is also accessible to hackers. Here are a couple of the risks that come with cloud computing.
Verifying Protection
There are a myriad of tech-related risks with cloud computing, but there are also some that can be attributed to human error. If you decide that cloud computing is the right direction for your company, it is crucial that you thoroughly research every provider that you consider. Before you even start your search, have a clear plan mapping out exactly what you need to get from your cloud computing. What functions do you need? What kind of security does your data need?
Malware
Because the cloud is accessible to nearly anyone with an internet connection, it is every bit as available to hackers as it is to businesses. You can store lots of data on cloud servers, but those servers can also store malware. Hackers can program malicious software to remain seemingly innocuous until the right file is activated, kind of like a sleeper agent. Once the malware is activated, it can clean out your data before you even know it’s there.
Account Hijacking
Every cloud computing account requires a set of login credentials: a username and password. With your unique login information, all of your collaborators know that it’s you. But if a hacker gets ahold of your login credentials, they can falsely claim that they are you and use your login information to access the closed network. This puts all of your cloud data at risk. There are many different types of malware that hackers can use to try and grab those login credentials, so be on the lookout for anything even remotely out of the ordinary. It’s not a bad idea to change your password every 60 to 90 days just to be safe, and even more often if you want to. Just make sure the passwords you set are easy for you to remember!
Cloud Security Best Practices: A Comprehensive Guide
Cloud computing offers numerous advantages, but ensuring the security of your data and applications is of critical importance. By implementing the following best practices, you can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security threats.
1. Shared Responsibility Model
- Understanding: Recognize that cloud security is a shared responsibility between you and your cloud provider. You are responsible for securing your data, applications, and operating systems, while the provider secures the underlying infrastructure.
- Defining: Clearly define the security responsibilities of each party to avoid confusion and ensure comprehensive protection.
2. Strong Access Controls
- Identity and Access Management (IAM): Implement robust IAM policies to grant the right level of access to users, groups, and roles.
- Least Privilege: Follow the principle of least privilege, granting users only the minimum permissions necessary to perform their tasks.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Enforce MFA for all users to add an extra layer of security beyond passwords.
3. Data Encryption
- Data at Rest: Encrypt all sensitive data stored in the cloud using strong encryption algorithms.
- Data in Transit: Utilize secure protocols like HTTPS or TLS to protect data transmitted between your systems and the cloud.
4. Regular Security Assessments
- Vulnerability Scanning: Regularly scan your cloud environment for vulnerabilities and apply patches promptly.
- Penetration Testing: Conduct penetration tests to simulate real-world attacks and identify weaknesses in your security posture.
5. Security Monitoring and Incident Response
- Continuous Monitoring: Monitor your cloud environment for suspicious activity and anomalies.
- Incident Response Plan: Have a well-defined incident response plan in place to quickly detect, respond to, and recover from security incidents.
6. Employee Training and Awareness
- Security Awareness Training: Educate employees about cloud security risks and best practices to prevent accidental data breaches or phishing attacks.
- Regular Training: Provide regular training to keep employees updated on new threats and security measures.
Additional Considerations
- Data Backups: Regularly back up your cloud data to a secure location to ensure business continuity in case of data loss or corruption.
- Cloud Security Policies: Develop and enforce comprehensive cloud security policies that align with industry standards and regulations.
- Third-Party Risk Management: Evaluate the security practices of third-party vendors and partners who have access to your cloud environment.
By implementing these best practices, you can create a robust cloud security posture and safeguard your valuable assets in the cloud.
IT Solutions and Network Protection from Global Harvest Networks
Global Harvest Networks has been working for the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas since 2000 and we’re ready to lend our expertise to you! We offer a wide range of IT solutions that can tackle any and all of your network’s needs. Please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can help you! You can also give us a call at 443-270-0401. We’re ready to assess your system, diagnose the problem, and help you find a plan that will strengthen your network, all free of charge! For more information on the latest things you should protect your system from, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
