More and more, we see the cloud becoming a popular deployment option among organizations. The mobility and ease of access of the cloud make it one of the most convenient choices. While using the cloud, though, companies may be more susceptible to security threats and hackers.
The top ways that data can be compromised include weak and stolen credentials, back doors, malware, social engineering, too many permissions, insider threats, and improper configuration or user error. Most attacks are targeted to scam money, but some are also focused on espionage. To avoid putting your data at risk, there must be practices in place to erase these vulnerabilities and protect your valuable data.
Here are the top ways to keep your data secure in the cloud:
Set Up Backup And Recovery Options
While technology today is extremely advanced, there is always the possibility of experiencing technical issues, or even user errors. That is why it is extremely important to back up your datasets. Losing the data that your organization depends on can lead to extreme disruption and financial loss, not to mention unhappy customers.
Encrypt Your Data
Encryption, which is the conversion of information into secret codes, deters hackers from accessing your data in the cloud. Because encryption turns your data into ciphertext, it is much more difficult and takes more time for hackers to understand exactly what they are reading. Only hackers that have advanced cryptography skills would be able to decipher the codes in your database with this in place. Data encryption will add an extra layer of security, ensuring that your data is secure from hackers and other threats.
Set Up Proper Passwords
System accounts that hold important documents should have difficult passwords. Don’t be predictable when creating passwords, because the easier your password is to guess, the faster a hacker can access your accounts. A strong password should have a minimum of 12 characters and should include numbers and symbols, along with both capital and lowercase letters. This goes for encryption as well, which basically sets a password for all your most valuable files so that even if a hacker gets into your database, they won’t be able to access individual datasets. It is recommended that you also use two-factor verification, creating a two-step process every time you log in to add an extra layer of security. Another obvious tip is to be wary that you aren’t saving your passwords to public computers.
Secure End User Devices
Not only is it important to secure your systems, but you must also secure the devices on which you access those systems. This is a simple way to eliminate insider threats. Deploy a firewall solution for your network. Another way to protect your devices is to use a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN creates a private network while connected to public internet services. It provides online privacy, along with encrypted and secure connections to ensure that your data is safe.
Avoid Uploading Confidential Data
Of course, the whole point of the cloud is to view all your data in one spot. But make sure to organize it ahead of time, weeding out your own personal identifiable data and confidential data in case of a possible breach. Also, confirm that there are no files that contain your passwords or other login credentials that would help a hacker easily access the rest of your data.