Top 5 Cloud Security Best Practices

Today, most businesses operate on the Cloud. Those who aren’t already there are either thinking about it or have already embarked on the journey. The point is that for all businesses, the Cloud is now the place to be. As long as your software and hardware exist in the Cloud, you can now maintain your business continuity from anywhere. 

The one thing that becomes a prime concern when you move to the Cloud is the security of your data. In fact, it is not just the data alone but also the technologies you develop that need to be safeguarded. Keeping all this information safe is critical, so much so that we decide to share the top 5 Cloud security best practices with you.

Before we proceed and share with you the best practices, there is one thing that all Cloud users should be aware of – Cloud security is a joint responsibility of the Cloud service provider and the user . So when you sign an agreement with the vendor, be absolutely clear on what part they will handle and what will fall in your ambit of operations.

1. Document The Assets That Reside In The Cloud – Until you know what is at risk, you will not know what to protect and how to protect it. Therefore, the first thing all Cloud users must do is document all assets that need protection and their current security status. It includes:

2. Frequent Testing – The Cloud is a growing and evolving environment. Once your applications and data have moved to it, you need to test it, and by testing, we mean you need to try every possible permutation and combination to find out weaknesses. It includes using every tool and technique used by hackers to infiltrate and corrupt the systems and data. Therefore, the IT teams will have to be constantly on their toes deploying vulnerability testing, penetration testing, misconfiguration testing, and sometimes even test against advanced persistent threats. 

Do keep in mind that the Cloud is an evolving environment. So what is true today may become false tomorrow, and similarly, what is safe may become unsafe and vice-versa. That is why every organization needs to test at every step of the way. Retesting is equally important to validate the safety of all assets.

3. Continuous Monitoring – Only through continuous monitoring is it possible for companies to keep an eye on the changes that happen in the Cloud. It could be things like gaps in compliance, policy changes, configuration changes, or questionable changes in structured data, etc. The whole point is that without monitoring, there is no way to catch such happenings. Do remember catching them well in time gives you a chance to rectify the situation before it can cause irreversible damage. When you do monitoring in real-time, you can patch the vulnerabilities immediately and reduce or nullify the attempt of any sabotage. 

4. Create Learning Opportunities – Every mistake is an opportunity to learn, and so is every vulnerability. It is like letting your race car run free on the road and learning what went wrong from every tumble and crash. Every learning opportunity can be looked upon as an opportunity for more training. 

You set up Cloud environments with loopholes such as misconfiguration and deliberately made insecure applications and let your task force lose on it. It acts like a live training and learning opportunity for your future Cloud engineers. It is almost like gaming, but with a difference. Here the winner is the organization and not a single player. They learn to work in teams and use collective knowledge to discover the problem areas and their solutions.

5. Be Current With New Happenings – As we have mentioned time and again, the Cloud is a dynamic, evolving environment. It changes with every new user demand, threat, and upgrade. Therefore, the only way to make the most of this exciting environment is by staying on top of things. You need to be aware of all that is happening on the Cloud that could impact your business. It could be happening to some other business or industry, or it could be a nationwide phenomenon. Do not ever think that you are safe in your bubble. 

Hackers are smart, technologically savvy, and operate with nefarious intentions. Being aware of what is happening gives you ample opportunity to up your guard. If need be, you can intensify the safety protocols and restrict access to ensure the complete safety of data and applications at all times. Ask your IT team to subscribe to threat intelligence feeds. These are provided by private players or vendors, cybersecurity groups, third-party organizations, and such. 

Cloud security is the topmost priority of all businesses. Sadly, there is no one quick hit solution that will cover all bases. It needs to be tailored to fit each organization. Adhering to the best practices, we shared above will help position your enterprise better in terms of Cloud security. In addition, it will also address the individual requirements of your business way better. The good news is that Cloud-based organizations face far fewer threats than those that are traditionally run.

Oamii Technologies is a Cloud Services Consulting company. If you wish to harness your business potential and optimize the cloud infrastructure , you can reach out to us. Our mission is to help your business run smoothly and securely on the Cloud. To book an appointment, call us at 561-228-4111.

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