If your data stored on the cloud isn’t safe, then neither is your business. Security breaches, if not successfully prevented, can disrupt operations for long periods and cost tremendous resources. It may be tempting to skip investing time and resources into security, but doing so runs the risk of creating much bigger problems down the line.
The mass adoption of cloud computing in business of all sizes and across industries has led to new, different security risks which businesses may not be familiar with. Cloud service providers often take extensive measures to make their services as secure as possible, but there’s more that you can do on your end to minimize your risk.
Don’t overlook metadata. If you’re not familiar, metadata refers to data which provides information about other data, like, for instance, file size, author, or date of creation or modification. Information like this becoming compromised can be as dangerous as the actual contents of your data, but many businesses and even service providers often don’t think to secure metadata. Consider having metadata stored in several secure locations, rather than all in one place.
Use encryption. One indispensable tool in securing your data stored in the cloud is encryption. Encryption adds an extra layer of security between your business’s data and potential hackers by turning your sensitive data into a code that can only be decoded with a key.
Strengthen your passwords. You’re probably already familiar with some of the characteristics of a strong password. Many online services today require passwords that are at least eight characters long and contain a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers and other characters. Steps like these really do make a difference in maintaining cybersecurity. You should also encourage users to avoid using one password for many different accounts and to regularly change their passwords, particularly if they work with sensitive data.
Monitor activity. Keeping an eye out for unusual or suspicious log-ins and data transfers is never a bad eye. Simple monitoring systems can help you detect breaches soon after they occur and stop the problem early on.
Of course, these are just a few basic aspects of a comprehensive security plan. Truly maximizing the security of your business’s data requires expertise and knowledge. At Broadline, we have the years of experience and the industry connections needed to help you find your IT solutions. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any more questions about cloud security or anything else IT.
