Cloud services may not be as secure as they say they are, especially on the user end.
Companies have begun to see the advantages of moving their data and networks to cloud-based services, including less need for expensive physical equipment, user-friendliness of cloud services, and cost savings. Cloud services may seem easy to use, but they do present challenges that include security and protection against cyber threats.
It is not enough to assume that the security of the cloud services provider will keep workers safe when they use their data, as numerous cloud data breaches from the Pentagon to Yahoo have shown in recent years.
3 Major Cloud Security Challenges
The following security challenges leave cloud practitioners at risk and need to be addressed by cloud services users.
1. Encryption of end-user data.
Data in the cloud may be encrypted while it’s there, but when it is brought out of the cloud for end users to access on company or BYO computers and devices, it needs its own encryption to remain protected. Data and services accessed from the cloud without encryption at the end-user level are vulnerable to cyber attack and compromise.
2. Access keys and permissions.
The same access keys and permissions are needed to control access to cloud services as physical networks and servers. These keys are necessary to keep unwanted people from accessing a network, and if the keys aren’t used properly to restrict user access, the network may be vulnerable to hackers.
3. Shadow IT.
Shadow IT occurs when one department decides to purchase and use its own cloud services without informing or involving the company’s IT department. Shadow IT is a problem because practitioners generally don’t follow any security protocols the IT department would insist upon, so access is wide open to anyone who can find a way in. IT departments should regularly monitor how the network is being used to expose shadow IT and bring it under their more secure umbrella.
Restricting access to cloud services with keys and permissions will help to keep it safer.
Other Key Issues In Cloud Security
One problem that often occurs when companies migrate to the cloud is that they offset its cost with cuts in the IT department. With a smaller budget and less staff, IT may not have the resources to implement user-end cloud security, and upper management may not see the necessity of these measures.
Additionally, the cybersecurity talent shortage may be impeding IT departments’ efforts to address cloud security issues. Existing personnel may not have the skills to know what is needed or how to meet the unique challenges of cloud security.
Cybersecurity professionals such as those trained by PC AGE can earn certifications that demonstrate knowledge of cybersecurity principles and skills, including cloud security. Request info about all our programs to see how PC AGE can help you start or advance your IT career.
Rameez Khizer, IT Marketing