Businesses may assume their systems can handle cloud security without them or fail to set up proper internal security policies. Doing so creates risks such as business downtime and noncompliance with security laws, but the proper support can help you avoid them.
Gartner forecasted double-digit growth for all segments of the cloud market, with global public cloud spending reaching around $723.4 billion by 2025. They also predicted 90% of organizations would adopt a hybrid cloud approach. The more new technologies arise and are adopted, the more important cloud security becomes.
What Cloud Security Means
Cybersecurity protects your basic technology. This may include:
- Networks
- Endpoints
- On-campus infrastructure
Cloud security can be part of this, but it is more specialized. It protects anything and everything you may have put out and made accessible via the internet. This includes:
- Servers
- Storage
- Software
The strategies used in both methods can also be similar. One of the most important cloud data protection methods is encryption. You’ll also see identity management and access control.
These work for public, private, and hybrid cloud environments. They prevent data breaches and ensure business continuity. That also helps maintain customer trust and ensure compliance with security standards.
Why Businesses Move to the Cloud
The rapid adoption of the cloud is due to the many benefits it provides.
It allows you remote access to all your data and systems. It’s not only convenient but essential for businesses with remote workers. According to Founder Reports data, around 22.6% of American workers were remote at least some of the time. Around 46.9% of these workers are fully remote, and 53.1% have hybrid positions.
The cloud is also flexible. You can choose from a combination of a variety of types of cloud networks, including:
- Public
- Private
- Hybrid
The cloud is also easily scalable with the right support. It’s easy to get more or less cloud infrastructure as you build your business.
Common Cloud Security Risks
One of the most common cloud security risks is misconfigured systems. This includes:
- Cloud Resources or databases left open with no access controls
- Misconfiguring default security settings
- Misconfigured security groups and network access controls that let in all IP addresses
Weak access control is another problem. Access keys or sensitive information can be written in plain text that’s easy to access. They can even be put into code, which, while more difficult to find, isn’t hard for anyone with basic coding knowledge.
This weakness brings up the risk of data exposure. Cybercriminals can get into cloud databases to steal sensitive information. Employees can also intentionally or unintentionally release it.
Business downtime is a security risk and creates more than financial problems. Lost revenue and recovery costs are only the beginning. Other issues from downtime include:
- Employee turnover
- Reputation damage
- Lost client trust
- Compliance risks
There are even legal issues to consider when it comes to cloud security. Maintaining compliance with Texas SB 2601 and other essential security protocols is difficult without a proper framework.
A lack of constant monitoring of everything on your cloud can lead to all of these other cloud risks. If you’re not checking for them, they’re more likely to pop up and be more difficult to deal with when you notice them.
What Businesses Get Wrong
It’s easy to assume that your existing business cloud solutions have everything covered when it comes to security. That’s not always true. It can lead to complacency and a failure to consistently check that their cloud is secure.
Businesses may also lack proper access visibility. Their cloud security tools should always show them which humans or machines have access to their cloud resources at all times. It’s not only important for access control but also for detecting threats and ensuring compliance.
Every business must also have its own internal business cloud security policies. They need to be outlined, tested, and taught throughout the organization. Otherwise, the team is essentially “flying blind” in terms of security. They won’t know how to respond to or prevent threats.
How to Secure Your Cloud Environment
Setting up a security system is one of the most important things to do when migrating to the cloud.
One of the first and most important steps is strong identity management. Identify all your cloud resources, such as:
- Virtual machines
- Storage buckets
- Databases
Determine who should access them. Every employee should only be able to use what they need to for their job. Conduct regular user audits to spot any unnecessary access or security gaps.
This is a simple step that often goes ignored. A study of healthcare organizations by Gellert et al. found that only 51.1% of respondents maintained a complete inventory of third parties accessing their networks.
Multi-factor identification is one of the best data protection strategies. It requires a second method of identification. One of the most common is a code sent to a phone. Others include fingerprints or secondary access software.
It also works well for cloud data protection. If you don’t set it up, cybercriminals only need passwords, which are easy to get with phishing or malware.
This helps to reduce cloud security issues, such as:
- Compromised accounts
- Data breaches
- Unauthorized access
It’s also important to be proactive and set up monitoring and alerts across your cloud. Use extended detection and response. Check monitoring logs and events every day. This allows you to react to threats before they escalate and minimize the damage.
Ensure Cybersecurity in the Cloud Today
Cloud security protects all your cloud tech, no matter how large or small your setup is. Having the right partner can help you avoid risks such as data exposure, downtime, and noncompliance.
TruePoint Systems has 20 years of proven experience. We provide businesses throughout Texas in various industries with affordable, reliable IT services.
Stop wasting time with an overwhelmed team or scattered vendors. We’re one vendor that can handle managed IT, cybersecurity, strategic technology advisory, and business communications services.
We’ll become your partner and provide strategies that can help your business grow. Set up a consultation to get started.
