How to Improve Your Business Cloud Security

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Most (if not all) businesses use cloud computing in some way, whether it’s to manage projects, CRM and sales, share files, store data or enable efficient team collaboration and communication. The companies which provide cloud technology will have expertise in security if they are of high quality, but this is not always enough to prevent cybercriminals. Unfortunately, the majority of cloud security breaches occur because of errors made by end-users. This means cybercriminals can hack into a cloud system and access sensitive customer and business information. These user errors are, however, easily prevented if you take the necessary steps. 

Here’s how you can improve your business’ cloud security. 

Introduce Two-Factor Authentication

Nearly all employees are aware of the importance of a strong password to access their work devices and the importance of regularly changing this password so that it’s difficult to guess. For many years businesses have relied on a combination of a username and a password to protect their systems and user accounts, but this is rarely enough to stop a determined hacker. This information is easy to steal; if you use the same credentials for the multiple accounts, it can give them access to all your sensitive online information.

A more secure strategy is to use 2-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication. This installs multiple barriers to minimize the risk of unauthorized people gaining access to your cloud. Ask your employees to add extra authentication on top of their usual password and you will be adding extra layers for a hacker to try and get through. 

Implement User Permission Controls

It’s rarely the case that all your employees require access to all your company’s data, so why not implement specific user permissions which only provide them with access to the information they need to carry out their job? This will prevent employees from inadvertently accessing and editing documents and limits the damage an unauthorised user can cause. What’s more, for businesses rapidly expanding their use of the cloud, SASE is a key investment for enabling control of users, data, and devices using your network. You can find out more at www.McAfee.com on how a secure access service edge can benefit your business. 

Data Backup and Recovery Policy

IT downtime can be very costly. If your cloud system is breached and the business needs to cease operating, every minute will be adding to the financial and reputational damage. Therefore, it’s essential to devise and implement a data backup and recovery plan which will enable you to lessen the impact of a security breach should it happen. 

It’s also important to be aware of ongoing updates, developments and any plans for future changes that your cloud provider announces, which could impact security. For example, businesses that use Skype for Business as a communication tool need to be aware that the platform is being retired in 2021. Before then these businesses will need to move to a new service securely and with minimal downtime.

Monitor Employee Activity

If you monitor what your users are doing on the system, you may be able to identify potentially risky activity before it becomes a problem. This could be a log-in from an unknown device or IP address. There are several security solutions that can support you in this, such as Vulnerability Scanning and Remediation and Intrusion Detection & Response (IDR). What’s more, there are several apps that allow you to monitor your employees’ activity while accessing your network. While monitoring employee activity can feel like you don’t trust them, it’s key to keeping everyone using your network safe, should an employee be visiting a website they shouldn’t or downloading files without checking the sender. You do need to inform your employees you will be monitoring their computers should you wish to do so. AktivTrak is an incredibly popular program, ideal for employee performance control. For employers who enjoy analytics, this is the program for them! The user interface provides important data and ensures user privacy at all times. It will also track the productivity of your employees, and take screenshots of any action you wish it to do. 

Implement an Offboarding Process

When an employee leaves the organisation, you need to ensure that they can no longer access the cloud. This is why it’s essential to devise and implement an offboarding process that will ensure they are removed from the relevant accounts and can no longer access sensitive information. You don’t want any employee walking away from your business with the means to continue accessing your cloud system. After all, you need to protect not only your own data but the data your clients have entrusted you with when they’ve entered into a professional relationship with your business. To implement a safe offboarding process, you will need to revoke user access permissions, and you can do this electronically to save your IT team time and money. Every part of your cloud the employee could access now needs be closed to them and closed to them as soon as they’ve left the building on their last day. 

Deliver Regular Employee Training

Only with up to date knowledge can your employees help in the fight against hackers and viruses. If your employees are trained in how to spot a potential cyber attack like phishing emails with suspicious links or similar hacking strategies, they will be far less likely to accidentally to fall for a scam, for example. That’s why education is so crucial for not only those implementing the security but those using your business devices and cloud daily. Invest in regular training to ensure you and your staff are up to date with the latest techniques and trends in cyber crime. It’s worthwhile to discuss training with dedicated cyber security professionals, as they are the ones who are first aware of the latest viruses and scams which your employees may encounter. Within your training, cover every aspect of cyber security, not just security relating to the cloud. The more confident your employees feel to implement the best security methods, the safer everyone will be.