Some studies have found that 99% of companies around the world use some sort of cloud service. And while that may just be a simple statistic, it is a really impressive number nonetheless.

The cloud has become increasingly popular as a form of data storage and file sharing; but along with this come concerns regarding the security of data in the cloud.

Therefore, if you want to know what cloud security is, why it is important and the 8 steps in order to safely apply it in your company, be sure to read this special blog article we have prepared for you on this important topic. Enjoy! 

What is cloud security?

Cloud security is the protection of data, applications, and infrastructure that are being stored and processed in the Cloud. This includes protection against internal and external threats such as viruses, cyberattacks, data theft, and even hardware failures.

In addition, cloud security also encompasses access management and the protection of sensitive information. In fact, cloud security involves protecting against unauthorized elements, even if their behavior is not harmful.

Read also: What is data privacy, how important is it and how to improve it? Find out!

Why is cloud security important?

With the popularization of the cloud, more and more companies are migrating their data to virtual environments. However, this also increases the risk of loss or theft of important information.

Cloud security is crucial to protecting information, ensuring data availability, and preserving customer trust. In addition, cloud security also helps prevent business disruptions and, most importantly, avoid financial losses due to data breaches.

It is important to remember that a cloud safety failure can compromise data from millions of customers, as what happened recently with Azure, which exposed 65,000 companies’ data from a configuration failure in its servers.

Another famous case happened with Capital One Bank in 2019, in which hackers gained access to the data of 100 million customers. A huge loss both financially and in reputation for the company.

So, now that you know what cloud security is and also its importance, it is time to get to know 8 applicable steps in order to improve your company’s cloud protection.

How to apply cloud security in 8 steps

We know that some steps to secure a cloud system do not just depend or rely solely on our work. Therefore, it is necessary to be cautious in choosing the ideal service provider, for example, and also vital to have high-quality processes streamlined in order to treat unexpected situations.

Check out some of our tips and recommendations:

1. Choose a trusted cloud provider: Make sure you choose a cloud provider that offers robust security and, likewise, also follows security best practices. Azure, Google Cloud and Amazon AWS are extremely reliable option bets in this regard, although they are not the only ones in the market;
2. Manage access permissions: Set clear access permissions in order to prevent unauthorized agents from reading or compromising your data. You need to have a clear and defined security policy, so as to ensure that only authorized persons can administer and access the system’s protected databases;
3. Keep regular backups : Store backups of data in a separate location to ensure availability in the unlikely event of a failure. Some things can get out of hand, so it is important to make sure your data is protected in the event of a disaster occurring.
4. Keep systems up to date: The software and operating system of your computers and your business need to be up to date and with the latest security fixes. Thus, it will be possible to mitigate the risks of a larger problem should it arise;
5. Train employees: Make sure all employees are aware of security best practices, such as creating strong passwords and avoiding sharing sensitive information. Also make sure to roll out periodic testing to guarantee that the cloud system will not be compromised;
6. Use encryption: Encrypt, whenever possible, all sensitive data before storing it in the cloud in order to protect it from unauthorized access. This is a good best practice when it comes to handling information security;
7. Continuous monitoring: The cloud environment should be monitored regularly in order to detect and remediate any vulnerabilities or threats. So make sure to plan so that someone will always and at all possible times be on the look-out at the system for any technical inconveniences;
8. Create a team of cloud security experts: Hire a cloud security expert to help implement security measures and ensure data protection. For this particular task, it is extremely important to avoid working with people who are inexperienced in the role.

Cloud security is critical to ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of data in enterprise environments. Therefore, companies must adopt effective security measures and work with trusted cloud providers in order to ensure data protection and to maintain customer trust intact. 

Often, it is not just money that is at stake. The reputation of a company that has had its data compromised in some way can be shaken to the point that no customer wants to do any more business with them. Thus, any chance of recovering its prestige in the market disappears.

Therefore, make sure to devote all efforts and resources to protecting your company’s cloud systems by applying good security practices and investing in a team which will be capable of reversing risks.

Likewise, it is advisable to develop a culture that understands the need for this theme and at the same time is also concerned with protecting corporate assets, whether physical or not.