Securing your data in the cloud

More and more organizations are moving their critical IT infrastructure and data to the cloud. This move is driven by the tremendous potential of cloud platforms that promise unprecedented operational efficiency, productivity, agility, flexibility and profitability. But every technology has its benefits and drawbacks. In this case, the flip-side lies with lack of ownership and control and, therefore, security.

6 Tips to keep in mind

Cloud security is essentially a combined effort between you and the Cloud Service Provider. Here are the important components of cloud security that you must keep in mind to ensure better data security:

1. Sign up with a service provider that has stringent security policies in place.
(also, check if this will make your auditors happy:)

2. Identify the gap between the cloud provider’s security responsibility and yours.
Use security tools to identify the gaps between the cloud provider’s security measures to know which security issues you must address at your end.

3. Learn more about security tools to protect your data in the cloud.
Two leading public cloud heavyweights Microsoft and Amazon have already launched their own credential management tools that ensure legitimate access to sensitive data while keeping intruders out.

4. Use comprehensive encryption.
Encryption at the file level forms the backbone of all your cloud security efforts. Even if your cloud provider encrypts data, don’t depend on the provider. Deploy sophisticated and all-encompassing encryption solutions to encrypt data before uploading it to the cloud.

5. Secure end-user devices.
It’s also imperative that you secure the end-user devices that are accessing cloud-based resources with advanced endpoint security. Deploy firewall solutions to protect your network perimeter, especially if you are subscribing to an infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) or a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) model.

6. Follow useful security guidelines and best practices.
Use for instance the security guidelines recommended by Cloud Security Alliance, which is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to promote the use of best practices for providing security assurance within Cloud Computing.

If you can implement these key guidelines as a part of your cloud security strategy, you are well on your way to securing your data in the cloud.

While the cloud can make your life much more comfortable, it could also put your data at risk. Cloud security is something you should take seriously for your business. Comprehensive cloud security is the best way to keep your data safe.