Safeguarding the Clouds: Is your Cloud Storage Secure?
There is no doubt that businesses around the world are adapting to embrace an evolving digital future, the business landscape is becoming increasingly dependent on state-of-the-art technologies to store, manage, and safeguard their business data. Amid this tech evolution, cloud storage solutions have surfaced as the linchpin of modern business operations, offering scalability, cost-effectiveness, and unprecedented accessibility. But these advantages are not without risks, as they open new avenues for cyber threats. The call for reinforced cyber security measures when it comes to safeguarding your key business files and data has never been more crucial.
The High Stakes of Cyber Threats in Business Cloud Storage
The dangers associated with insufficient Cyber Security Solutions are colossal. As per the projections by Cyber Crime Magazine, cyber crime is forecasted to cost the world approximately $8 trillion in 2023, a prediction that is already looking as though it could be exceeded. No organisation is out of the firing line, from crippling ransomware attacks on large multinational corporations to small and medium-sized businesses battling relentless data breaches. The increasing adoption of cloud storage within the business space has opened a fresh avenue for cyber threat actors to target to attack your business.
The Vital Role of Businesses and Their Cyber Security Strategies
When it comes to cyber security in cloud storage, businesses must embrace a proactive and layered approach. This involves creating multiple levels of protection to deter potential breaches at every point of infiltration. Techniques range from advanced encryption methods, enforced multi-factor authentication, restrictions and/or alerts on external file sharing, elevated access requests, and even IP access restrictions to ensure that data can only be accessed from authorised locations. Besides technical measures, businesses need to emphasise the importance of cyber security education for their workforce. After all, it is often the case that human error often paves the way for security breaches.
Cloud Providers: The Guardians of the Digital Frontier
Cloud providers have a key role in the defence of digital data. Their responsibilities extend beyond providing a platform for users, ensuring that their platform stays secure from attack and enabling users and businesses to access enhanced security features for securing their data. They must also educate users about potential risks and strategies to avoid them, provide transparency about data handling practices, timely communication about potential threats, and offer swift support during security incidents.
Cloud Storage Needs a Backup Too
Many businesses we speak with believe that just because their data is stored in the cloud, “it doesn’t need backing up,” however this is not true. Whilst data stored within cloud services is more resilient to potential data loss, with the data being stored in data centres with multiple high redundancy failover solutions in place, this is not considered a backup. Files and Data can still be; lost, deleted, encrypted, or tampered with. Meaning that it is still vital to have a backup of your key business data. Microsoft even states, as part of their “Shared Responsibility” clause, that users/”the customer” are responsible for their information and Data which is stored on Microsoft’s Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) & Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Meaning that if data is lost, deleted, corrupted, encrypted or stolen due to errors or cyber attacks on the user’s infrastructure, Microsoft is not responsible for the recovery of this data.
Cloud-to-cloud backup provides a robust solution by replicating data from one cloud environment to another, significantly enhancing resilience against data loss and allowing for a swift recovery in the case of data loss, attack, or natural disaster. This strategy adds a critical layer to businesses' cyber security defence solutions, making it an indispensable asset in today's digital business landscape where data integrity can decisively influence the fate of organisations.
Rising to the Cloud Cyber Security Challenge
The threat of cyber attacks on business cloud storage solutions has never been more prevalent. As cloud technologies evolve, so too must the cyber security strategies designed to safeguard them. This is not a one-off endeavour, but an ongoing commitment that necessitates vigilance, investment, and a proactive approach. Fortify your weakest links and ensure that cloud storage solutions continue facilitating business growth in the digital era, rather than becoming a target for cyber threats.
How can TwentyFour help you secure your data?
We specialise in IT Support, Managed Cloud and Virtual Services, Cyber Security and much more... This means that we are in a perfect position to help your business understand Cloud Storage and Cyber Security solutions.
Contact us to find out more, we can help your business understand its cloud storage solution, identify potential threat vectors, and help you secure your critical business data.