What Is Cloud Security?
Today’s users are more reliant on cloud computing than ever before. Consumers use cloud services for data storage (like Dropbox), apps, and office software. SMBs and enterprises rely on the cloud to meet productivity goals, speed up business operations, and avoid upfront costs. The cloud offers flexibility and zero risks of vendor lock-in, but it comes with its own unique security challenges.
Cloud Security includes a broad set of cyber security processes and controls. Using these, organizations can protect their cloud environments from breaches, malware, insider threats, and other vulnerabilities. This encompasses both network and application-level protections, along with identity and access management. A strong, granular IAM policy that requires strong passwords and 2FA/MFA is key to cloud security. A strong network firewall that protects against incoming attacks is another critical component of cloud security.
Lastly, application-level control mechanisms and monitoring are crucial to keep malicious actors from breaching cloud applications. These include threat intelligence and security automation tools that prioritize and prioritize threats, detect anomalies, and provide alerts.
While most people think outside hackers are the biggest threat to cloud security, employees pose a significant risk as well. Malicious insiders may steal company information from personal devices or mishandle sensitive data. In addition, the interconnectivity of the cloud means that a single breach can impact multiple systems and data centers. A robust cloud security system should include a communications encryption process that ensures data is not exposed to hackers or third-party providers.