3 Tips for Businesses to Help Improve Cloud Security
These days it seems all too often that we read news headlines about major data breaches—often compromising large amounts of sensitive personal or corporate information. And while cloud storage offers protection from local server failures, it carries its own security concerns.
For example, data may be compromised while in transit, former employees may still be able to access and sensitive data, and catastrophic system failures can result in significant data loss. Anticipating and adapting to these potential threats can mean the difference between smooth operation and potential catastrophe.
So, how can you improve cloud security for your company’s sensitive data? Here are 3 tips you can put into action today.
Use a Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Process URL
We’re all accustomed to entering a user name and password combination when accessing personal accounts, shopping online, logging into discussion forums, and even gaming. But these standard protocols are no obstacle for cybercriminals capable of cracking complex alphanumeric passwords in minutes. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) adds an additional level of security to the process.
Here’s how it works. There are three types of authentication factors (credentials) that a user may employ to access a secure site or web page:
Possession factors may be either material (like a fob or keycard) or virtual (like a one-time password). Inherence factors focus on biometric factors such as voice recognition, retinal scanning, fingerprint scanning, or facial recognition. By combining these factors, you can add layers of protection to your security protocols, effectively blocking cybercriminals seeking personal data.
Monitor, Log, and Analyze User Activity in the Cloud
Often the best way to spot potential vulnerabilities in your network’s security protocols is to monitor and analyze user activity. By knowing when, where, and how users are accessing data, you can identify any user activity that puts sensitive data at risk.
There are several areas where monitoring and analysis of user activity can help identify potential threats. These may include:
While all monitoring of employees’ online activity must be conducted within the parameters company policy, such techniques can pick up most irregularities - anything from using company time for personal web-surfing, to compromise of sensitive intellectual property or financial information.
Develop a Data Backup & Recovery Plan In Case of a Cloud Security Breach
There’s an old saying that goes, “If you don’t have a backup, you don’t have a plan,” and nowhere is this more true than in the area of cybersecurity. Even with the best protocols in place, system failures can result in catastrophic data losses that can cost your business time, money, and loss of reputation.
That’s why many IT consultants suggest implementing a data backup and recovery plan now, you can avoid an array of potentially expensive hassles later on. An experienced cybersecurity consultant can help you create an effective backup plan, test your data backup and recovery capabilities, and safeguard your most sensitive data from large-scale corruption or loss.
Bonus Tip: Have an Offboarding Plan
When an employee leaves your company, what protocols ensure that they no longer have access to sensitive company data? If allowed access, a former employee could access, corrupt, or steal potentially sensitive information and share it with competitors or cybercriminals. Although such occurrences are not common, the stakes are high enough that your company should have an offboarding plan in place to ensure that former employees no longer possess the ability to access your data.
At ICONIC Technologies, we understand the importance of cloud security. That’s why we offer the most advanced solutions available for 24/7 system-wide monitoring, encryption, and data recovery. Contact us today and discover how ICONIC Technologies can improve cloud security for your company.
Interested in learning more? Contact one of our representatives today!
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!