As more businesses join the cloud revolution, decision makers are becoming more aware of the security implications. It remains a common misconception that the cloud is inherently bad for cybersecurity, but that’s not the case.
In fact, a dependable cloud provider will have far better technology and expertise at their disposal than the average SMB could ever hope to afford. Nonetheless, there are a few legitimate concerns that need to be addressed, such as the following:
#1. Complying with Government Regulations
With data privacy and security being one of the biggest concerns of modern business, industry regulators are introducing ever-tougher laws and standards for protecting digital information from prying eyes. This is particularly the case in heavily regulated sectors like healthcare and legal. Failure to comply with the law can lead to crippling fines and lasting damage to your reputation.
It’s this fear that makes some organizations hesitant about moving to the cloud. After all, it means surrendering a degree of control by handing over compliance to a third party. It’s up to you to ensure that all technology partners and vendors you choose to work with are also compliant with any regulations facing your industry, including those that apply to people abroad with whom you might do business.
#2. Securing Data in Storage and Transit
Another common fear that businesses have when migrating to the cloud is that they’ll lose control over physical security measures. After all, it’s not as though you check the locks on your cloud provider’s server room before heading home every day. There’s also the risk of data being intercepted during its journey from your office to the cloud, a common problem given that cloud computing relies on a constant connection to the internet.
Centralized management and multi-device accessibility are among the biggest advantages of migrating to the cloud, but this freedom and convenience also come at a price. Fortunately, you can rest easy by ensuring that data is always encrypted, both in storage and in transit. By connecting to the web via a corporate VPN, for example, all your traffic will be encrypted and nonsensical to any snooper.
#3. Managing Permissions and Accessibility
The cloud offers accessibility from any device with an internet connection, no matter where it’s located. This makes it an essential platform in times when workforces are becoming more mobile and flexible. However, this greater accessibility also makes cloud-hosted resources and data-in-transit prime targets for hackers seeking to exploit weak links, like poor security habits or dysfunctional security protocols.
While the convenience of accessibility from anywhere comes at a price, administrators will also have an easier time managing which users can view, edit, and share data, thanks to a web-enabled dashboard. This dashboard allows administrators to see every device and user connected to the system and manage access rights and privileges on a per-user basis.
#4. Sharing Resources with Other Organizations
A lot of people aren’t even sure what the cloud is, even though they use public cloud services like email, social networks, online storage, and web apps like Google Docs every day. These are all examples of cloud-enabled apps, which are installed on servers in massive data centers where hundreds of thousands of users share the same storage and other computing resources.
Sharing your online storage and computing resources with other organizations isn’t always the best fit, particularly when it comes to mission-critical systems and extremely sensitive data. However, you can overcome the limitations of these public cloud services by building a private cloud environment, either hosted in your office or at a remote location, exclusively for your company. Alternatively, you can get the best of both worlds with a hybrid cloud.
Are you ready to talk about your technology needs and concerns? Talk to us today to find out how Online Computers can help you ensure your digital strategy brings great profits to your business.
