Cloud computing is now more popular than ever before. One thing that speaks about its ubiquity is an estimate that a new cloud server is added for every 600 smartphones or 120 tablets in use.
As computation power moves onto the cloud, businesses are being targeted with more malware. Taking your cloud security seriously is the only way to save yourself from being at risk. If you are better than most other companies in being safe, malicious groups will not want to bother you. They will move on to easier targets.
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Pros and Cons of the Public Cloud
A public cloud refers to any group of computers that are rented out to other companies. Resources are shared. By getting huge amounts of computing power and putting it all into giant warehouses in affordable locations, cloud providers can offer these services at great rates.
Using a public cloud is the most cost-effective way to buy a lot of computing power. It’s easy to scale up or down as your needs change. Many businesses exist today that would not be able to function without public cloud computing.
The downside is that you are sharing resources. This can lead to security weaknesses if your provider is not very careful. If you are going to use public cloud services, make sure they have a good reputation.
10 things you should know about cloud security
1. There Are Many Kinds of Malware
Being well-versed in the different forms of malware will help you stay safe. There is ransomware, adware, spyware, rootkits, and many other types besides. Malware can be silly and harmless at its best. At its worst, it can ruin your digital system.
Ransomware encrypts all of your data and hides the decryption key until you pay the creator, usually via bitcoin. If you don’t pay, you lose your data. Rootkits are equally harmful, taking control of some of your computing power to do whatever the hacker wants.
2. In-House Security is Hard
Staying safe from malware is a job that never ends. There are many different ways that your system can be compromised, and your system is only as secure as its weakest point. On top of that, all of your antivirus software and protocols need to be updated every few weeks.
3. Redundancies Make Your Data Secure
One advantage of secure cloud storage for your data is the phenomenon of redundancies. That’s when your data is saved in multiple copies across the cloud. Since it’s a distributed network, it isn’t hard for a professional secure cloud provider to secure your data and offer redundancies. It’s a big advantage over a single centralized copy of your data. It’s no wonder why so many business owners decide to go with popular cloud consulting services as a viable solution to their data needs.
4. Cloud Security is a Top Priority for CIOs
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is in charge of the information technology of a company. Information security is chief among these concerns. Keeping your company’s data safe is the only way to ensure that the business will continue to function.
Most of a CIO’s decisions happen early in their tenure on the job. Setting up the initial data protocols so that there’s no way for malware to infect the system will make security much simpler for the rest of the company’s life.
5. Hybrid Systems are Best for Large Companies
A hybrid cloud system is one where some work is done in public clouds and other parts of the system are private. This allows a company to keep the most sensitive data in air-gapped computers on the company’s premises. Less sensitive data can be kept in a more convenient location.
Hybrid systems are a good solution to a large company’s needs. They allow for productivity to be a priority in some areas while security is the main focus for others.
6. Public Cloud is Best for Small Business
Private clouds are expensive and need a lot of physical space. Maintaining that kind of system is not ideal for a small business. It’s better to use a public cloud service for your needs.
When your company grows, you can always add the private cloud element later on to create a hybrid system. You will know when it makes sense to do that based on how well your current cloud provider is managing your needs.
7. Obscurity is a Form of Security
If malicious third parties cannot find any information about your business’s cloud setup, they will not know how to attack you. Instruct your employees to never discuss the cloud platform with other people outside of work.
Those companies that reveal unnecessary information about themselves to the world are the first ones to get hacked. It’s ok to do the normal PR activities that a business does, but keep all of your security information secrets. Leave out information that could compromise your company’s well-being.
8. All Businesses Are Vulnerable to Hacks
You would expect every business to take security seriously since their entire livelihood is on the line. Unfortunately, many of them do not have good security. More than 14 million businesses are vulnerable to hacks right now in the United States alone.
9. Third-Party Security Is Possible
The alternative to handling your security in-house is to get somebody else to do it. There are quite a few great security services out there. You can rent secure cloud storage on servers that feature an advanced security setup.
While public clouds are never quite as secure as private clouds, they are so much more affordable. It’s possible to stay safe while using the public cloud. Just be careful to work with the right service.
10. Leave Security to the Professionals
You shouldn’t try to guess your way to great security in the cloud. Find a professional to do the job for you, even if it has to be a one-off freelance contract. The key is to get your security set up properly from the start so that hackers never have a chance to compromise your system. Ideally, you will have a full-time CIO paying attention to this.
Great Security can be found in the Cloud
Maintaining secure digital operations is the only way to ensure that you can run your business without disruption.
Any kind of data breach will create a huge problem. Companies have even been known to shut down entirely as a result of being hacked. Follow the tactics of this guide and you will stay safe from malicious hackers.
