Data security on the cloud is an issue which usually gets lost in the discussion. Understanding the many critical avenues of securing data on the cloud is an absolute must for proper cloud data security. Businesses implementing cloud hosted services believe that all data security procedures are covered by their service providers. But this not completely true! Digital data is generally very volatile and requires safe practices from the client’s end as well.
With that being said, here are a few mistakes that are common among businesses, that may turn ugly and result in data security screw-ups on the cloud.
Failing to understand the data you need to protect
The data security measures put in place should always harmonize with the type of data meant to be secured on the cloud. Different service providers take different approaches to their data security strategy, which greatly depends on the type of data to be stored and secured on the cloud. Businesses which blindly implement a single type of data security protocol for all the different types of their data are at risk of spending more than they need to on data security, under-protect certain data types, or even creating legal or compliance related issues.
Failing to consider data in flight
Most service providers and businesses alike only consider data encryption when it is stored somewhere and is at rest. They fail to comprehend that data which is in flow can also be accessed by cyber criminals. Security of ‘data in flight’ should also be a major concern and unless properly secured may lead to data leaks or hacks leading to loss of valuable and confidential data.
Failing to bind data security to other security levels
Data security protocols should subsequently become a part of the overall security operations of both the service provider and the business. Business owners moving to the cloud should take their time and map out appropriate integrated security channels. What’s the point in having top-notch digital security measures in place without properly securing physical access points?
Compromised credentials and broken authentication
Unfavorable data breaches and other data security issues are often the results of lenient authentication protocols, weak passwords, and improper data key/certificate management. Most businesses also have a hard time figuring out appropriate access control and identity management protocols. Most even forget to remove the credentials of former employees, which great severe data security vulnerabilities. Getting these right creates a highly secure data environment with extremely transparent accountability as data and files are accessible to individuals with the associated security clearance only.
It is always recommended for business to ask their service providers to deploy multi-factor user authentication protocols like One Time Passwords, Phone-based authentication, and Smartcards to strengthen data security on the cloud. Also advise your employees to never give up their assess credentials to anyone, even to their colleagues. They should also be advised to refrain from embedding credentials and other cryptographic keys on data stored in public databases.
A well-sourced public key infrastructure is also necessary to strengthen data security protocols. They must also be shuffled from time to time in order to make it harder for cybercriminals to exploit any credential based authentication vulnerabilities. Identity and authorization repositories must also be decentralized and encrypted to make it harder for hackers to gain access to said data repositories.
Inadequate diligence
Many businesses which dont properly scrutinize their cloud service agreements or contracts, but still avail their services may end up in the mud. It can give to grave data security issues along with a plethora of commercial, legal, technical, and compliance violation issues. Businesses whether migrating to the cloud or merging their operation with partner businesses over the cloud, need to exercise extreme diligence and scrutiny to make the entire process smoother without inciting data security vulnerabilities. Businesses also need to be aware of the fact that almost all cloud hosting service providers differentiating liability clauses in the possible case of data loss or illegal data breach.
Operational and architectural issues may also give rise to data security vulnerabilities, usually because the business’s development and other teams are not properly familiar with cloud technology and cloud hosted applications. It is best to familiarize and train all your business teams on the cloud infrastructure and best practices for greater data security from their ends.
Malicious insiders
The threat of malicious insiders is a multifaceted one. It could be a disgruntled former employee looking for revenge, a system admin, or even a business partner and their scheme can include anything from data theft to revenge. In today’s corporate environment of cloud hosted infrastructures, an insider with malicious intent can cripple an entire business operation and even steal confidential and valuable data, leaving businesses vulnerable.
It is always recommended that businesses take security issues seriously and take up appropriate security measures to avoid such vulnerabilities.Businesses should also opt for service providers which offer top-notch digital data security measures along with their basic services.
System vulnerabilities
We all know about system vulnerabilities and software bugs which can be easily exploited by cyber-criminals to illegally gain access to any business infrastructure. With cloud computing, this threat takes on a more grave face as all data stored on a cloud is always at risk from cyber criminals and their malicious cyber attacks. Even company departments and business partners who share information over the cloud area t a great risk of network breaches.
But with the advancement of modern data security protocols and measures, cyber attacks on such system vulnerabilities can be easily pacified and avoided. It is highly recommended to perform scheduled system vulnerability scans, quick issue identification and swift patch implementation of overall system vulnerabilities.
These are only but a few ways to screw-up data security on the cloud. But if you keep these pointers in mind when shifting your business operations over to the cloud, then rest assured as you are on the right path to achieve top-notch data security on the cloud.
