The Best Practices for Cloud Security You Can Choose from

Ever since the great discovery of the Internet, the world has never been the same. A lot of technology has made available due to this single discovery, with the most recent one being the cloud. Cloud technology has aided some business transaction and entertainment opportunities thanks to the dynamic cloud computing strategies and the numerous file-sharing opportunities. However, security in the cloud remains one of the major concerns businesses and organizations have to face at one point in time.

The idea of running your business operations and storing data on a virtual network that you have little control of is not only economical but also manageable. However, this is not the case. According to last year’s statistics on cloud security, CloudPassage found out that cloud security is still the number one concern in this industry. According to the research findings, at least 53% of the individuals interviewed noted that “general security risks” is the number one impeding factor for adopting cloud technologies. 91% percent of those surveyed were either “very concerned” or “averagely concerned” about this technology.

From the above observation, it is evident that cloud security is a pain to most businesses and organizations. Therefore, to ensure that everything runs smoothly, business CEOs and CTOs are advised to adopt best practices for cloud security in their business. The following article seeks to explain why this is important and also educate all stakeholders on the best cloud security strategies to adopt in 2017.

Why is the security of cloud computing so important to business?

Currently, at least 90% of businesses have taken their businesses to the cloud. While this number is slightly higher for large- and medium-scale businesses compared to the small business enterprise, the benefits of cloud computing are equally important to both divides if the security of cloud computing is guaranteed. The following are some of these benefits:

Helps your business reduce IT costs

Most businesses are moving their operations to the cloud to reduce the huge costs associated with running a business. Move your operations to the cloud only if you have invested in the latest cloud security models. Thanks to the secure cloud computing services, you can save money by:

• Reducing the wages of staff as you will employ fewer IT experts compared to the manual system
• Minimizing your energy expenses as you will use fewer computers as storage systems
• Reducing operational time lags in your systems
• Reducing the frequency of upgrading your IT systems

Scalability

One of the main objectives of the business is to grow and increase both in size and in operations. Thanks to cloud computing, businesses can achieve this with much ease. A secure cloud hosting platform means that your business can adjust to its growth thus helping it save money, time and other resources that could have been spent on improving the manual IT systems.

Promotes flexibility

A secure cloud computing service means that you can work from anywhere and at any time. Thanks to cloud technologies, data is stored online and can be accessed from any place using any device. Cloud database security, on the other hand, guarantees that the data you are storing online is always secure and cannot be corrupted or interfered with at any time.

The best cloud security practices to adopt

Cloud technologies are rapidly changing nowadays. Due to the rapid changes in technologies and the numerous cloud computing vulnerabilities, businesses are left with no option but to improve their cloud security strategies as well. The following are some of the practices you will find handy in 2017.

Understand your model

When planning cloud security, this is one of the most important factors to consider. Arguably, security in the cloud is a shared responsibility that both the business owner and the service provider need to pay attention to.

Different individuals define cloud computing technology differently. The following diagram is a representation of how you need to approach your computing security issues as explained by Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Data encryption

Data encryption is one of the most recent security features for cloud computing you will come across in 2017. With the many instant messaging applications that exist in the market today, your data might not be safe. Make use of the latest encryptions and encrypt your data while in storage and also during transit.

Carry out audit and test your strategy

When considering cloud computing and information security, you need to know that even the most robust strategy is highly vulnerable to the ever-evolving hackers. Therefore, once you have chosen the most suitable security of cloud computing, you will need to check and ensure that you are duly covered. Test your strategy and then stop at the strategy that offers you maximum protection.

With the direction most businesses are taking towards cloud computing, it is undeniably true to say that cloud technology is the future of business. While this is true, threats from different angles are continually causing a challenge to most businesses. To be able to enjoy the numerous benefits of cloud computing, cloud security is key.

Pavel Tantsiura

administrator