More and more businesses are turning to cloud computing to improve efficiency and lower data storage costs. It’s not without its challenges, however. IT managers and network administrators have to grapple with issues surrounding data security and privacy and network availability. These issues are inherent in cloud-based technologies, and experts work round the clock to ensure ongoing security.
Cloud storage has long been a favored target of threat actors. The theft of sensitive company data has wide-ranging consequences, from loss of customer trust and database breaches to intellectual property theft and even millions of dollars in fines. This is why network security should be a top concern for any business that adopts cloud-based IT.
Data security is key to your company’s long-term growth. Here are a few recommendations you can apply to your network security plans:
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Reduce the target value
Threat actors often target high-value data, which is why you need to take steps to keep them hidden from view. There are many different ways to minimize the target value of your data, depending on the need for access and security.
Companies move data to the cloud for convenience, so you need to strike a balance between accessibility and security. For instance, virtual private networks allow you to transfer data within the company network away from the public view. For extremely sensitive data, you might want to consider hosting it in an air-gapped server.
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Obfuscate user identities
Imagine this scenario: You have an executive working remotely with high-level privileges. They’re not the most tech-savvy, so you’ve installed tools like a password manager on their company-issued laptop. However, even that proves too complicated for them, so they’ve resorted to writing their password on a Post-It. Anyone who manages to steal that piece of paper can access your network without you knowing.
Even the most secure firewalls can be undone by social engineering. If your network security proves too challenging to be infiltrated, some threat actors can target specific users as a means of entry to your network. Not only will you have to protect the system, but you also need to keep user identities out of threat actors’ hands.
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Limit and monitor third-party access
In an ideal world, company data can only be moved and accessed within your secure network. However, the nature of commerce means that you’ll need to grant access to collaborators and third-party vendors occasionally. Every user is a potential weakness, so you need to monitor third-party access constantly.
To start, you need to implement strict permissions for third-party user accounts. You need to specify which parts of the network they can access and for how long. Once the relationship with the collaborator has ended, you need to terminate the connection immediately.
These pointers can help you keep your cloud network secure. There’s no denying that cloud computing offers businesses a lot of benefits, but you also need to remember the dangers that lurk in the shadows. Adopting network security measures go a long way to keeping sensitive data secure.
