If you're implementing cloud-based tools and technologies in your business, you need to be aware of the consequences of your security strategy.
So, what does the steady increase in cloud adoption mean for your data security and compliance?
Keep reading as we discuss why the cloud market is growing, the top data security considerations for cloud adoption, and how to increase data security for your cloud-based resources.
Why Is The Cloud Market Growing?
Between 2022 and 2023, the cloud market is expected to grow by 26.7%. The pandemic fueled the adoption of cloud-based technologies. Many businesses were forced to explore cloud-based options to maintain productivity throughout the pandemic.
Cloud-based technologies facilitate remote working, allowing employees to communicate and collaborate effectively without sharing office space. However, with a cloud-based and integrated infrastructure, a business can also reduce data silos between departments. All information is readily accessible on a single user interface, allowing for easier data retrieval, comparison, and insight.
Businesses are even adopting cloud-based security technologies, such as business security camera systems, to facilitate more agile security measures. Cloud-based security solutions provide more responsive security by enabling remote management and automation through software integrations.
Cloud-based technologies are revolutionizing businesses, providing more convenience, accessibility, and flexibility. However, there are also some considerations to weigh up in terms of your data security policies.
Data Security Considerations For Cloud Adoption
Now that you know why cloud-based technologies are becoming so relevant in office environments, let's discuss how your data security might be affected. Below is a list of the data security considerations you need to make before adopting cloud-based technologies:
If you're implementing cloud-based technologies in your business infrastructure, you need to prioritize data security.
The more data you store in the cloud, the more exposed you will be to a cyberattack or cybersecurity breach.
You need to ensure your business is compliant with cookies and GDPR. Failing to maintain GDPR compliance will result in legal complications, financial losses, and reputational losses for your business.
By keeping the above considerations in mind, you can begin planning your data security, ensuring that your business does not suffer the consequences of a data breach.
How To Secure Your Cloud-Based Resources
You need cybersecurity to increase data security and maintain GDPR compliance while adopting cloud-based technologies. See the best practices below to fortify your security strategy against cloud-based security threats.
Zero-Trust Network Access
You must ensure you are not vulnerable to a cybersecurity breach from an employee or guest account. Just because users can enter your network does not mean they should gain access to your most valuable sensitive data. Additionally, should an employee account become breached, the attacker would have free reign to access your digital resources.
To mitigate your exposure in the event of an internal data breach, you need to implement zero trust. In a zero-trust network access policy, users cannot gain access to all company resources when they access your network. Instead, they only gain role-based permissions to access the data they need for daily operations.
You can establish role-based permission databases to identify different clearance tiers. You can automate user permissions updates based on their current job status. Should an employee be promoted, you can offer them a higher level of clearance. And should an employee be terminated, this should automatically remove their access permissions.
Cybersecurity Awareness Training
The majority of data breaches within a business originate from human error. Therefore, ensuring that your employees have access to cybersecurity awareness training is in your best interest. In your training, you should cover the following:
Password health - you should ensure that your employees set strong passwords that cannot be guessed easily. Your employees should also set unique passwords across different accounts. To enforce this policy, you can implement password management software. The tool will analyze your employees' password health, alerting them when one of their passwords is breached.
Scams and malicious activity - you should train your employees to spot untrustworthy sources on your network. You should remind them of the importance of not providing their password or details when using the internet and give them a checklist to verify whether a source is trustworthy.
Software updates - nobody should access your cloud-based resources from an outdated platform across your entire business. If the software is obsolete, it will often contain weaknesses and vulnerabilities that the provider eradicated in the most recent update. To ensure your business is not vulnerable, you should implement a software update policy, instructing employees to keep their software up-to-date.
Taking a cybersecurity course can help someone understand how to protect their personal information and prevent cyber attacks, which is becoming increasingly important in today's digital age where cyber threats are on the rise.
By implementing this training, you can minimize the risk that human error poses to your cybersecurity strategy.
Summary
Cloud-based commercial alarm systems are examples of integrated cyber and physical security technologies being adopted in recent years to facilitate remote work and to make data more accessible at a large scale. If you're considering adopting cloud-based technologies for your business, you must ensure that your cyber and physical security is airtight. You must maintain GDPR compliance. By implementing more stringent cybersecurity policies, you can support data privacy from the ground up in your cloud-based infrastructure.
