Most businesses are using some type of cloud computing. According to one report, 94% of businesses use some type of cloud service.
While cloud services do have a lot to offer businesses, they also come with a range of security concerns. In some cases, cloud security issues can be mitigated with a range of Infrastructure as Code tools, but there is a lot you have to consider before moving resources to the cloud.
Manage Remote Access
One of the reasons many businesses move to the cloud is because it makes resources more accessible. With various workflows and data resources in the cloud, employees can work and be productive from anywhere. This offers obvious benefits, but it can also be a security concern.
Making it possible for employees to access systems from anywhere is great, but it also means that there is the potential for criminals to access these systems over the internet as well. Furthermore, employees might not always follow cybersecurity best practices when they are using their personal devices.
One of the best ways to protect against issues associated with remote access is to teach employees about cybersecurity best practices. Teach them about creating strong passwords and tell them not to use public Wi-Fi. You should also teach them about common attacks and how to protect against them.
The Cost of Security Breaches
A data breach can come with significant costs. The average cost of a data breach in 2021 is $4.24 million. For many businesses, an event like this would be devastating. Even if you can weather the financial cost, you also have to consider the reputational fallout that may come with a data breach.
Businesses need to go to great lengths to protect the data they store in the cloud. Consider the cloud services you use and the security tools and practices you apply to cloud security. You should also perform regular security audits to make sure you are doing everything you can to protect your cloud systems.
Disaster Recovery Plans
Crime is not the only threat that concerns cloud resources. Beyond data breaches and employees that do not follow security best practices, there is the potential for a disaster to cause data loss or system downtime. For that reason, businesses need to develop strong disaster recovery plans.
Disaster recovery plans need to cover all of your IT infrastructure. You should have data backups to protect against loss in the event of a disaster. Backup systems should also be in place so you can keep things running if there is downtime at one location. Many organizations also buy insurance to protect against the financial costs that can come with a disaster event.
Controlling Access
Access control is another issue for cloud services. You want the resources to be accessible to the right people, but you do not want all data and systems to be accessible to every person that has access to the system. This is why you not only need passwords, but you need to be able to assign different privileges to different people.
By assigning different access levels to different people, you can make sure employees only have access to the resources they are supposed to access. Beyond that, it can protect your business if an employee’s credentials are compromised.
Compliance
There are standards you have to follow when you store or use private data from the public. This is especially true if your business operates in areas like healthcare or finance. If a business fails to follow these standards, it could end up on the wrong side of regulators in its industry.
If the data you store goes beyond the private information of your business, you need to be aware of the regulations. Make sure you meet your obligations to protect data and maintain a secure system. Failing in this regard can not only damage your reputation, it could result in serious fines.
Moving to the cloud can come with obvious benefits, but it also comes with some risk. With that said, most of these risks are manageable. You just need to be aware of the risks and take steps to protect against these issues.
