Mohamed Eissa, Sales Director of Digital Security Solutions, Middle East and Africa at Entrust.
Cloud computing, you may be surprised to learn, is believed to have begun back in the 1960s as an idea by Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider to connect people and data anytime, anywhere. Today, ‘the cloud’, or cloud storage, is just another one of the many technological advancements we take for granted. It is, as Licklider envisaged, available on demand, at the touch of a button or a few taps on a screen. Aside from personal use of the platform, businesses utilize the benefits of cloud storage to great affect.
Why cloud storage?
Being able to access files from anywhere means you never have to worry about copying them to a laptop, USB drive or emailing them to yourself if you’re on the move. You can even collaborate with several colleagues, accessing the same file at the same time but on different devices to save huddling around one screen – a feature which proved incredibly useful during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cloud storage is usually cheaper than purchasing and maintaining a server and enhances productivity while allowing for remote work due to being ‘on’ at all times. This is especially convenient during a time when hybrid working is still gaining traction. But more importantly, it can be safe and secure.
Worryingly, small businesses are prime targets for cyber-attacks, from which they can struggle to recover financially. Attacks can lead to the loss of vast quantities of data and money. A wise step for them would be to set up cloud storage, partly because optional extras such as encryption are available to help further ensure data is stored safely in the cloud.
Keep it clean
But who monitors the security and encryption of our data? As you’d probably expect, businesses have a responsibility for the security of their own files. A storage provider has a responsibility to keep things safe and secure, but it also comes down to the users to help maintain that safety. If a user downloads a file to an unsafe device or uploads a dangerous file, this could cause real trouble for the company and the data in question. So, it’s important that everyone works together to share the responsibility for company data stored in the cloud.
Currently, there is somewhat of a digital skills gap in the employment market, which could threaten data security due to a poor understanding of how to keep it safe. Business owners should therefore ensure their employees, the users of cloud storage, are using it correctly. Set out rules for them to follow and guidelines to keep to. But there is also a number of ways you can protect your data through whichever platform you use.
One such example is to apply permissions to certain data so that only the right people can access them, thus restricting the locations said data can get to. Similarly, password-protecting data can be beneficial, especially with a strong and memorable password. But it’s not just the systems that are at risk. End-user devices need the proper security, too, as that is where precious files will end up when downloaded by someone. As a final step, it is important to test and update regularly. Make sure all systems are running optimally and maintain any bugs or holes in the system that a potential hacker could get through.
Expand your toolset
While there are simple steps you can take, there are also tools to assist in managing your cloud data. With the Entrust nShield Bring Your Own Key and Cloud Integration Option Pack, you can capitalize on the breadth of services offered by public cloud providers while encrypting your data and staying in control of your critical keys.
From documentation to cost calculators and even partnerships with the biggest platforms like AWS and GCP, whether you’re already deep into using cloud storage or thinking of delving into it, my advice remains the same: do some research on optimising your platform and consult with a third party to ensure your data is safeguarded.
In general terms, the importance of protecting data and files is mostly personal. A file that is valuable to one person may be of little interest to another. But in the world of business, all data and files are precious, and the loss or breach of them could result in large pay-outs or even the end of the business. It is incredibly important to ensure the safety of all data stored in the cloud. Failing to do so could be the difference between a long and fruitful business and one which loses it all.
