Data breaches and cyber-attacks are becoming more sophisticated, cunning and frequent. That’s why it’s so important for businesses, especially large ones, to implement cloud data protection tools. In this article, we’ll talk about how to properly protect critical information and best practices for cloud security.
Cloud security is about ensuring that cloud computing environments are protected from cyber threats. This includes securing cloud data, protecting cloud storage, and managing cloud security settings such as access control, data encryption, and threat detection.
Top security risks in the cloud
The most common risks are data leakage and improper access control settings. While these risks are common in public cloud services (due to their vulnerabilities), they are also possible due to internal mishandling of security protocols.
Addressing these risks with comprehensive security measures and regular monitoring can protect cloud resources and keep data safe.
How does cloud security work?
Cloud security involves implementing security measures to protect the cloud environment. This includes configuring firewalls, managing IAM policies, and encrypting cloud data.
Using these strategies, organizations can secure their cloud computing systems and ensure that their cloud resources are protected from unauthorized access and potential threats.
How to keep your data safe in the cloud?
What are the key practices for securing cloud data? Let’s take a look at the key points.
1. Find a trusted cloud service provider
The best way to protect your data is to choose a trusted cloud service provider. The provider should offer secure data storage, encryption, and access control. Look for providers that meet security standards and regulations. The cloud provider should have certifications for compliance classes and different levels of security. It is an advantage if CSPs also have geo-distributed data centers.
2. Assess your security responsibilities
When moving data to cloud services, it is important to understand who is responsible for its security. In most cases, the cloud service provider is responsible for the security of the infrastructure, while the customer is responsible for the security of the data stored on that infrastructure. Make sure you understand your responsibilities and take the necessary steps to protect the data.
3. Data encryption
Encryption is very important as it converts data into an unreadable format that can only be decrypted with a specific key, making it secure even in the event of interception. Most data storage solutions provide some form of encryption. Data must remain encrypted both in transit and at rest, and encryption keys must always be securely managed.
4. Secure APIs
APIs are an extremely important channel for data transfer between services in the cloud, but insecure APIs can serve as access points for cybercriminals. A secure API reduces these potential access points. To ensure API security, organizations must implement proper key management, encrypt data in transmission, and control access based on user roles.
5. Access control and identity management
Access control is necessary to ensure that only authorized employees can access data. Role-based access control (RBAC) attribute-based access control (ABAC) and identity management prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. To implement this, organizations need to define clear user roles and permissions and provide multi-factor authentication.
6. Scheduled data audits
Regular data audits are proactive measures to identify and remediate potential vulnerabilities in the cloud. They include a detailed review of access controls, encryption standards, and incident response plans. By engaging a third-party auditor, organizations can supplement internal audits with a more thorough and unbiased analysis, strengthening overall security.
7. Security awareness and training
Security awareness and training programs provide staff with the necessary expertise to identify and prevent security incidents. Organizations can reduce the risk of human-caused breaches by scheduling regular training sessions, running phishing simulations, and creating a culture where security is everyone’s responsibility.
Statistics show that nearly three-quarters of all data breaches are the result of preventable human error.
8. Backup and recovery plans
Implementing robust backup and recovery plans protects organizations from the potentially devastating effects of data loss incidents. When stored securely in a separate, remote data center, regular backups provide an additional layer of data protection. Testing recovery plans ensures that organizations can recover quickly in the event of data loss, minimizing downtime and associated costs.
9. Advanced threat protection
Advanced threat protection tools using techniques such as machine learning and behavioral analysis provide a high level of threat protection. By integrating these tools into the security infrastructure, organizations can detect and respond to threats promptly that traditional measures may miss. This greatly increases resilience to evolving cyber threats and provides real-time security.
10. Implementing Zero Trust Principles
Zero Trust is a security strategy. This approach includes the following rules
- Always authenticate and authorize based on all available data points.
- Use access with minimal privileges.
- Expect a breach, minimize the kill radius and segment access.
The Zero Trust approach is achieved by embedding controls and related technologies into the six core elements of identity, endpoints, data, applications, infrastructure and network.
Properly organized cloud security ensures that all elements in a public cloud environment are protected from breaches and vulnerabilities. This means your entire business is secure.
