It’s inevitable. Some or all of your corporate data will be stored in the cloud. For some though, this presents an internal conflict: “Isn’t the cloud more risky and insecure than storing my data locally?”
In short, “No.” The longer answer is, “It depends.” Data and network security is not just a box you check before moving on to something more important. It is a state of mind -- a perspective on how data should be managed and protected. One of the greatest threats against any IT environment with important data is Malware. Malware, including “ransomware” like CrytpoWall, wreak havoc on businesses of every size. So more small, medium, and enterprise-sized businesses are learning to mitigate the risk of Malware through managed security solutions in the cloud.
The Challenge
Have you ever tried to quantify the risk of a malware infection in your computing environment? Don’t worry, most people haven’t. But, everyday, your employees access countless resources like your website, domain controllers, file and database servers (located on-premises, remotely, and in the cloud) that all have their own threats and vulnerabilities. Threats like state-sponsored hackers, hacktivists, “script-kiddies,” and cyber terrorists. Your IT resources also have varying impact on your organization’s operations. If one of your many domain controllers goes down it may or may not affect your operations very much, but if your database server goes down, chances are you’re in for a very long day.
Business Risk = Threats + Vulnerabilities x Impact
Minimizing your business risk in an increasingly complex, threat-filled, and vulnerability-filled landscape presents, for many, a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Mix in the added challenges of additional network segments, shared compute environments and unknown storage locations (where in the cloud is my data now?) and you may find yourself ready to wash your hands of technology altogether.
Giving up is not a solution because security is not an option.
However, there are resources available to simplify this process and to take control of your information security.
You Can Be More Secure in the Cloud
In 2016, many of the security-related stigmas against the cloud have evaporated. The primary reason is that organizations that don’t leverage the cloud are finding their limitations the hard way. They’re simply unable to extend their resources across the network easily and effectively. Small, medium, and enterprise-sized business alike are waking up to the efficiencies of centralizing resources in the cloud environment. They are also realizing that this reality applies to security capabilities as well. The cloud makes enterprise-grade security more accessible and more scalable.
By partnering with a managed services provider that specializes in information security, you can safeguard your important data with services like:
- Vulnerability assessments
- Remediation
- User awareness training
- Security improvement projects
- Firewalls and firewall management
- Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS)
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
- Security policy writing and implementation
Managing on-premises solutions becomes very difficult in light of the staggering threats all businesses face. A high-degree of knowledge, skill, and advanced tools are required to protect against ever-advancing malware. Through a well-managed cloud environment, you can scale these security solutions to meet your needs and help you reach your security goals.