As more and more businesses adopt cloud computing and storage solutions due to their convenience and growth potential, the security issues surrounding remote computing are becoming more well known. All cloud adopters need to have security measures in place to ensure data safety and company confidentiality. Here are five cloud computing essentials that your business needs to keep in mind.
Backup
The basic computing necessity of backing up files applies to cloud computing. Businesses need to have some protocol or automated system that ensures that all data is backed up and stored on a secure cloud server. Some companies, like www.avepoint.com, help businesses that are migrating to the cloud to develop robust automated backup protocols. Although data stored on remote servers is usually relatively safe, any corruption caused by interception or malware necessitates the use of backup data.
Encryption
All good providers will employ cloud security services to encrypt information that is in transit. Because cloud servers are remote, there is a chance that data can be intercepted by malicious parties between servers and end-users. Encryption ensures that any information intercepted will be useless to the interceptor. Only authorized computers and servers will host an encryption key that can unscramble data once it reaches a target destination.
Multi-Factor Authentication
IT professionals familiar with on-site computing will be well aware that preventing unauthorized access to a network is crucial for keeping it secure. The same principle applies to cloud computing. One of the best ways of ensuring that only the right people can gain access to a cloud network is by implementing a multi-factor authentication process. Passwords alone are not enough to protect a network. Hackers can easily steal passwords or use brute force attacks to generate valid codes. Multi-factor authentication makes hacking into a network via login pages harder by adding another layer of defense. Employees need to back up their passwords with biometric authentication – such as a fingerprint scan – or hardware authentication – such as a mobile phone confirmation.
Education
Good security protocols and features will mean nothing if users are unaware of the steps they need to take in order to keep a network safe. Education is one of the most important security measures a business can get on board with. Make sure that employees have regular training on cloud security and have easy access to training and reference materials. If you are unsure yourself, you can always hire in a third-party cloud security consultant to help with training. The company that provides the cloud services you are adopting will also have some resources on employee education that should be made available.
Governance
Cloud governance is a set of rules, policies and protocols adopted by an organization in order to ensure smooth and secure use of the cloud. Cloud governance ensures a degree of security by making it easy to detect anomalies in how a network is being accessed and used. In turn, this makes it easy to identify and eliminate weaknesses.
