With the implementation of GDPR and the numerous data breaches that have made the headlines, cloud security has never been so important.
While many businesses can rely, to some degree, on their hosting providers to help maintain security, there are vital considerations that your business needs to think about when using the cloud. Here are five principles that can help your organisation remain safe and compliant when it comes to cloud security;
1. The Link Between Privacy And Security
Often privacy and security go hand in hand when we talk about being safe online. However, there are subtle differences. Privacy refers to being able to be free from unwanted attention and intrusion. However, security covers aspects that you deploy to keep you free from threat.
You can have privacy without security, but when your security is compromised, your privacy is likely to be compromised too.
In terms of online data, your security comes from aspects such as firewalls and passwords that help to protect your data from the threat of being compromised. Your privacy, however, comes from elements such as creating permission levels of data so only the people with the right permissions can access the content.
When you are managing your cloud security, it is best to think about how to protect both security and privacy and consider each as a separate entity.
2. Protection For Your Whole Platform
It is great that businesses can pick and choose from a whole host of tools and applications as well as having cloud and off-cloud capabilities. However, with so many systems in place, how can you ensure each aspect of your platform is protected?
It may be unnecessary to add in controls for every aspect of your platform; however, you need to ensure that nothing is left that could be vulnerable to attack.
The cloud, with the right host, can offer a great deal of security and privacy, with aspects such as encryption. Look for a cloud host that prides itself on their security features, and you’ll find that a lot of your platform is protected. Then, try to apply this best practice to anything in your organisation that isn’t covered by the cloud platform.
3. No Business Is Safe
Regardless of the size of your business, you are vulnerable to a security attack or data breach. Many shocking statistics show just how likely a data breach for each organisation is. So, don’t assume that your business will be safe or that hackers won’t bother with your firm.
The best way to prepare is to test your system. This will help to highlight any vulnerabilities in place. You also need to have a monitoring system in place that will help to identify unusual actions and behaviours that can indicate a threat to your organisation.
4. Avoiding Bad Practices
Many businesses think that the more password protection there is, the safer the platform will be. However, when users have too many passwords to remember, they will often fall into bad practices when it comes to passwords, to try and make them easier to remember. Making your password system complex may seem safer but could actually be jeopardising your organisation as the users begin to deploy weak passwords or don’t bother changing their passwords regularly.
A central permission management system may actually help to protect your business better than a rigorous password control process. What’s more, the users will be happier that there are fewer passwords to remember.
5. Managing Business Continuity
Does your business know how it will cope should the worst happen? Business continuity is an essential risk management plan to consider. In an adverse situation, you want to ensure your business has the resilience to cope and the availability to continue.
It is important to think about what would happen should your system go down. How long before it is back up and running? Do you have the tools in place to ensure your system can resume quickly? How do you protect your customers from an outage?
Business continuity is also a key feature of GDPR. The regulation expects businesses to restore personal data to their customers in a timely manner after an adverse incident. So, looking at your business continuity plan not only makes good business sense; it protects you from the law too.
