Risks and Resolutions: Cloud Data Security

Thinking that the cloud solution is enough to defend your data is wrong. Isn’t it a matter of concern when your valuable data is stored far away from your sight and you have no visibility of the cloud infrastructure and less transparency of their security settings. Cloud data security is still an issue to be alert about as you are still exposed to be the target of many cyber attacks if you are not taking proper measures to protect your computer systems.

It is better you have your own defense strategy and a backup plan ready for the worst time. Learning about the dangers associated with unsafe computing and their resolutions in our article Risks and Resolutions: Secure Computing was the first step to enhance the overall defenses of computer systems which will improve the security of cloud data as well from user’s end as malware can reach from a computer to a cloud and then to other cloud users’ computers quickly and can damage everything on their way.

Risks with Cloud Data Security

Automatic syncing or uploading data files to the cloud that are unknowingly infected with malware can possibly wreck the stored data in the cloud and consequently increase the risk of infecting any device you use to access that cloud data. Things can go worst if you are sharing your cloud with your employees and multiple client parties. It can increase the risk of malware infection and ruin yours as well as their computer systems. This could also result in disastrous data breaches and even ransomware attacks.

• Lack of Control- putting the security of your data in the hands of a cloud provider leaves you with no control over your data and its management. Also, there is less transparency in their security measures and settings they use to guard your data. Your cloud provider will undeviatingly affect you if his security system has any vulnerabilities
• Data Privacy- when you decide to migrate your data to the cloud you might be losing some amount of data privacy there. It’s easy when data is managed and stored on-site premise of the organization to know who has accessed your data but not when servers are managed by someone else.
• BYOD and Rouge Devices- the facility of BYOD is trending cloud feature that allows users to use their own devices to transfer data to the cloud and from the cloud servers which means more devices would access your cloud provider and any of them can infect your cloud service.
• Shared Servers- Cloud providers use a single server and allow their customers to use and share the same server space which is accessible to them through the internet only. The risk is always there if any cloud user uploads any hazardous file that can give potential damage to the cloud server including your data in that server.
• APIs and Storage Gateways- APIs and Storage gateways can be very helpful to an organization for Import, manage and access their data on cloud but like other programs they also have vulnerabilities which can give an attacker an opportunity to slip in to damage or harm the company’s cloud data as well as other users’ of the cloud.
• Cryptographic Key Management- cloud encryptions helping data to transform into ciphertext to make it highly resistant against attacks but only if implemented correctly. Since, the cryptographic keys management process needs to be protected from the beginning by remaining unobtrusive, automated, and active to avoid any compromise.
• Cloud Credentials- weak credentials and passwords can leave your company’s critical data exposed leading you to data leakage or data compromise. Having a secure password and managing it is a serious issue that should be taken seriously. Otherwise, your efforts on maintaining data security system will go in vain.

Resolutions for Cloud Data Security from Users End

Security of your cloud data begins from your end. Your data is your responsibility and ensuring its safety and security against all the odds should be your duty because losing data would affect your business more than anyone else and the situation can also attract legal action against your company. Whatever way you decide to protect your asset try not to leave any gap in your data security system for the advantages of malware attacks even on the cloud. Down below are the resolutions to practice for keeping cloud data secure.

• Use Encryption- using encryptions before uploading data to the cloud is an exceptional way to secure your data against malware threats from hackers on the cloud. It reduces the chances of information being stolen without deciphering it. Even if someone accesses your data from the cloud provider’s end it would be of no use.
• Ensure Local Backup- before migrating data to the cloud companies should have their own backup copy of the data to ensure its availability during outages and downtime as well as during the time of unfortunate conditions of data damage or loss by malware attacks just to be on the safe side
• Avoid Sharing Sensitive Data on Cloud- it is not ideal to store a company’s critical or sensitive data far away from its sight, where they have no visibility that who can be accessing their data. Data breaches and leakage can cause serious damage to its associates and matter can be taken to courts for further damage to the company’s reputation.
• Apply Secure Password- always be serious about keeping your system and cloud credentials strong and secure. Weak or predictable credentials can let anyone get access to your information and data easily in a few attempts. It is the worst way to lose data or get hacked after giving efforts to all your security systems.
• Read the cloud user agreement- learn how your cloud service provider’s storage service works and what actions their security management takes to ensure the safety of their customers' data and read the user agreement and their backup policies carefully.
• Additional Security Measures- Add protective layers such as antivirus and admin control at every level in your office for employees who are using cloud services for sharing files internally or outside the organization. Make sure they don’t use any infected devices or upload them on the cloud.
• Security Test- never rest when it comes to the security of your company’s data. Stay alert as security measures can decay with time. Check your cloud security performance and schedule timely security tests to check vulnerabilities and loopholes in your security system by hiring ethical hackers. It will let you know the security level you are at and the level you need to perform well.