Cloud security has quickly become a pivotal point in small business cybersecurity posture because so many employees have begun working remotely as jobs continue to be either fully remote or hybrid work environments. The cloud brings a lot of utility to a small business with remote employees, but it also comes with risk because malicious actors are constantly looking for weaknesses in cloud security or misconfigurations to exploit. Because essentially every business will use cloud technology, we want to provide three strong cloud security tips that will help keep your small business from becoming an easy target for hackers!
Cloud Cybersecurity Basics
The first step to better cloud security is setting up initial layers of protection that will help your network be more resistant to cyberattacks. Multifactor authentication (MFA) should be mandatory for every user that has a cloud account so that even if your credentials are compromised later, your cloud accounts will have one last line of defense. Many MFAs also allow you to activate device health requirements that must be met before logging in, and this can also help prevent attackers from logging in if they manage to slip past your initial security layers. Additionally, ensure sensitive information is only accessible by those who need it, so attackers won’t have access to your entire network if they do get in.
Understand Your Cloud
Due to their ubiquity, cloud services have become diversified and complex, so small businesses should not assume every cloud service works the same. Before implementing a new cloud service, you should work with your IT department or an IT consultant to learn the security basics and configuration options available in that service. For strong cloud security, it is critical that your business sets up the cloud correctly and monitors it for suspicious activity so that you can respond quickly. You should understand the most likely attack surfaces malicious actors will try to use to hack your network and the most common vulnerabilities that lead to successful attacks with that service before trusting it with sensitive information.
Recovery Plans
One of the most important best practices for cloud security is planning for the worst-case scenario. Your small business should have a plan in place for how to handle a security breach, so everyone can act quickly in the event of an attack. Employees should know to change their passwords, your IT department must have prepared relevant backups for your data, and clients should be promptly notified if their data is affected in a way that could lead to an attack on them. The best recovery plans can be made by working with an IT consultant and taking the time to plan for the worst can prevent a bad situation from closing your business’ doors for good.
Summary
Along with their incredible utility, cloud services also bring with them a lot of risk because they are high value targets for malicious actors. Small businesses must ensure they are prepared to defend against attacks and recover from successful data breaches. Your small business should consider these best practices when implementing new cloud services, and it can be beneficial to review the cloud services you already use for strong cloud security. If your business needs help configuring and protecting its services, then consider working with a reliable IT consultant like Robinett Consulting so that you can continue to serve your clients knowing your network is protected and more resilient against attacks!