5 essential expert strategies every business should know for robust cloud security
In the modren business landscape, nearly every organization relies on public cloud services for its crucial applications. However, as cyberattacks and security breaches on cloud platforms become more frequent, safeguarding your cloud apps and data is crucial. Explore effective strategies to protect your cloud environment and applications to maintain cloud security.
Limit Collaborative Access
- Limiting collaborative access is a crucial measure to protect your data from third parties and external security threats. For instance, sharing deliverables with a client may pose a security risk if the client gains access to other sensitive information.
Utilizing IAM (Identity and Access Management) access controls is integral to safeguarding your data from external intrusion. You can grant permissions for various data types by assigning roles preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Distribute Metadata Strategically
- Metadata, containing details like timestamps, names, and company information, is a potential vulnerability for your data security. While the management of metadata is often overlooked, it is a critical aspect of cloud security. When it comes to metadata, storage poses a concern, especially with cloud service providers.
It’s essential to include metadata distribution in your checklist to enhance your business’s security measures. Rather than consolidating metadata in a centralized location within your cloud service provider, consider dispersing metadata across multiple locations. This strategic approach ensures that during a breach, only a limited portion of your metadata may be compromised.
Establish a Secure Off-boarding Protocol
- When employees depart from your company, it’s essential to terminate their access to your cloud storage, systems, data, customer information, and intellectual properties. Unfortunately, this security responsibility is often delayed, leaving potential vulnerabilities in the system.
Given that each employee typically has access to various cloud applications and platforms, it’s vital to have a systematic de-provisioning process. This process ensures that all access rights for each departing employee are promptly revoked.
Employ Automated Solutions to Monitor End-User Activities
- Implementing real-time monitoring and analysis of end-user activities is crucial to identifying anomalies or potential malware threats that may signal a breach in your system. For example, if there is a login attempt from an unfamiliar IP address or device, it could serve as a red flag.
Detecting such activities at an early stage helps prevent hackers from causing disruptions and enables timely identification of malware, facilitating prompt issue resolution. Various Security Operations Center as a Service (SOCaaS) solutions are available to assist with this, ranging from automated 24/7 network monitoring and management to advanced cybersecurity solutions.
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- With hackers employing various methods to compromise online business data and applications, relying only on traditional username and password combinations is insufficient in safeguarding user accounts from cyber threats.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to fortify the security of your cloud users. This ensures that only authorized personnel can log in to your cloud applications, providing an additional layer of protection against unauthorized access to sensitive data in both on- and off-premise environments.
Outsourcing To an IT Security Company
Safeguarding your data becomes seamless and highly secure when entrusted to experts. Numerous IT support companies offer specialized IT security services, with options like Azure Security services available, especially for those utilizing Microsoft Azure.
Whether it’s Azure Penetration Testing (Pen Testing) or Cybersecurity Assessments, Azure Security Practice delivers a comprehensive suite of services. This ensures clients that their data remains secure, regardless of its location, offering peace of mind and protection against potential threats.
Leverage the expertise of our seasoned security professionals to secure your cloud infrastructure with confidence. Henson Group is the Global Azure Expert MSP that helps businesses increase accessibility and productivity. Get in touch today for free migration, training, and outright support.