Organizations are migrating to the cloud to improve the security, reliability, and efficiency of their IT infrastructure while reducing staff workload. One of the most significant advantages of using the cloud is the increased security it provides. Companies that use a hybrid cloud strategy, for example, can use cost-effective public cloud environments while storing sensitive data in a secure private cloud environment.
In this sense, organizations must define precisely where the cloud provider’s protection responsibilities begin and end, as the expansive nature of cloud infrastructure increases a company’s potential attack surface.
In fact, every business that uses cloud infrastructure should have its own security checklist to ensure that its protection, both digital and physical, is always at the highest level.
Required cloud security checks
1- Encryption
Encryption, or converting data to an unreadable format before it is transmitted or stored in the cloud, is one of the most effective ways to protect data. Vulnerable data must be encrypted “in transit,” especially if organizations use a hybrid cloud solution where data is frequently moved between applications and environments.
2- Data sovereignty
Data is subject to the laws and regulations of the country or region in which it is stored. However, there may be direct conflicts between these rules.
In the United States, there is a law that requires cloud service providers to hand over data to authorities if necessary. This means that organizations in the European Union and the United Kingdom frequently use public cloud service providers with US data centers. Even if your data is stored in a data center outside the United States, it may be subject to these laws.
To avoid conflicts between geographical definitions of data sovereignty, businesses can use sovereign cloud solutions that only work with local cloud providers, or they can build local storage clouds.
3-Identity and access management
Organizations must ensure that employees use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication.
With a comprehensive identity and access management solution, organizations can then increase cloud security. This extends password management responsibility beyond the collective role of employees.
Also, not all employees must have the same level of access. Restricting who has top-level access to cloud applications and systems will also help manage access.
4-Consistent Patches
Any security breach allows cybercriminals access. It is critical to close the window of opportunity before they have a chance to take advantage of it. This entails installing software updates and patches as they become available.
As previously stated, working with a public cloud provider can make it difficult to determine who is in charge of the process. It is critical that this is understood by both parties so that patches can be implemented quickly and there are no gaps for cybercriminals to exploit.
5-Cloud data backup
Backups are the final step in any comprehensive cloud security checklist. However, backing up your data to the cloud is a last resort that can help ensure uninterrupted service and minimize business interruption in the event of a successful cyberattack.
A good backup strategy should include both “hot” and “cold” backups. A hot backup is performed whilst users are still logged into a system, whereas a cold backup is done with all users offline. Thus, updates can be performed automatically prior to performing a live offline system backup, in case the live backup also fails.
Never rest on your achievements, but always keep an eye out for what may come
Maintaining cloud security is difficult, and hackers are constantly evolving their tactics, techniques, and technologies to exploit any holes or vulnerabilities in order to steal sensitive data.
For this reason, organizations must ensure that all necessary security safeguards are in place. They must also ensure that they have chosen the best cloud service provider with whom they can collaborate. This ensures the physical and digital security of your data in the cloud.
The critical point, however, is that with the right security strategy and integrated cloud service providers, security can be comprehensively managed and even enhanced by migrating workloads to the cloud.
A cybersecurity team may include the following positions: Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Security Architect, Cybersecurity Engineer, or Malware Analyst, among others. Given the growing demand for cybersecurity specialist engineers, there is a red flag that should not be ignored. The number of engineers available to meet the rising demand is insufficient. Outsourcing is a simple and reliable solution.
If you are looking for digital cybersecurity experts to help your company, contact us, and we will put our best Teams at your disposal.
