In the era of cloud-based technology, one of the most pressing concerns is security. With the rise in cybercrimes over the past few years, which the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified, security has become the main priority for enterprises worldwide.
Many organisations hold reservations about the idea of storing their sensitive data and communications on a cloud-based infrastructure that they do not directly manage. And yet, it is necessary to evolve with the times so that organisations do not get left behind and become desolate.
Over the past year, an increasing number of organisations have reported cloud data breaches, which is why it is prudent for your company to implement these best practices for cloud security. To give you an idea, check out the top 5 best practices for cloud security in 2022:
1. Create and implement cloud security protocols
Just like how an organisation should have human resources guidelines and protocols for its employees, there should be written guidelines to specify what data can be stored in the cloud, who can obtain access, and how they can use them. Additionally, your organisation should enforce that employees use a particular set of security technologies to safeguard data assets in the cloud.
Suppose your cloud vendor does not have a policy enforcement feature to meet your organisation’s needs. In that case, your security staff should use other automated solutions presented to them, ensuring that all other employees adhere to these policies.
2. Educate and train your staff
To stop hackers from accessing the authorisation for cloud computing tools, organisations must train all their staff to detect cybersecurity threats and what to do with them. Comprehensive training must include basic security knowledge such as creating strong passwords, pointing out attacks, and managing risks.
Organisations must understand the factors for successful cloud compliance and invest in specialised training for their security staff. Since the threat landscape changes daily, IT security professionals will have no problem handling these if they are updated about the newest threats and are prepared for potential countermeasures.
3. Encrypt your data
Encryption is essential to any cloud security strategy. Organisations must encrypt their data if they are using a public cloud storage service, especially when the data is in transit, as it will be the most prone to attacks. Some providers may offer key management and encryption services.
4. Implement security logs for tracking purposes
Logging is an effective way for system administrators to keep a record of which staff are assessing or making changes to the cloud data. It can also help the organisation identify which individual employees possess more access than necessary for their job scope. If security is breached by a hacker, or someone without authorisation to access the data, it can quickly be flagged for further actions.
5. Employ a team to conduct regular penetration testing and audits
All organisations should run penetration testing through either an in-house security team or a third-party firm to assess if existing cloud security policies are sufficient to safeguard their data assets and applications. In addition, organisations should conduct security audits, including periodically analysing all their security providers’ capabilities.
Conclusion
Cloud security is not something to be taken lightly, as your organisation’s most important data and communications are at stake. The lack of cloud security practices can make your organisation vulnerable to hacks and data leaks, which can be devastating.
If you are looking to upgrade your cloud security or develop your team’s cybersecurity capabilities, look no further. Here at BridgingMinds, we offer an extensive range of IT security courses in Singapore, including EC-Council’s Certified Penetration Testing (CPENT) and Certified Cloud Security Engineer (C|CSE) courses. Pilot classes for C|CSE will commence on 21 February 2022 if you quote “IAM1ST” for an exclusive offer, so don’t miss this chance and sign up now!
