23 years
97.9 Customer Satisfaction Score
200k Tickets Closed
83% resolved remotely
97% Resolved within SLA Goal

Is The Cloud Safe To Store Your Data In?

The cloud is quickly gaining in popularity. In fact, IDC predicts that public cloud spending will more than double – reaching nearly $500 billion – by the year 2023. Incredible, isn’t it? Businesses are achieving some serious benefits from moving to the cloud: anytime, anywhere accessibility, better collaboration, greater security, and of course, less costs associated with buying, maintaining, and supporting equipment. But is the cloud safe to store your data in? The answer isn’t as simple as most business owners would like to believe.

Here’s the thing: The cloud tends to be safer than on-premises equipment given the fact that cloud providers have access to more resources, budget, and capabilities to safeguard their data centers than the average business does. In theory, the cloud is the safer option when it comes to storing your data. But there are still concerns surrounding the concept of cloud security.

Let’s Take a Step Back from Cloud Security for a Moment and Look at What the Cloud Actually Does and How the Cloud Actually Works…

First and foremost, it’s important to understand what the cloud actually does and how the cloud actually works before you jump into storing your data in the cloud. Essentially, the cloud enables users to store and access their computing resources over the Internet as opposed to on-premises. You have access to a shared pool of computing resources, including servers, networks, storage, applications, and other services.

The cloud can be provisioned incredibly fast with minimal effort. You pay-as-you-go – meaning it’s much more affordable than purchasing, maintaining, and supporting your own equipment. When updates or upgrades are necessary, they’re automatically rolled out rather than having to worry about keeping your own equipment up-to-date.

Now You’re Probably Starting to Get an Idea of Why So Many Businesses Leverage the Cloud, But Let’s Go Back to Cloud Security for End-Users…

The cloud is actually quite safe, as long as you’re working with a cloud provider that the proper security measures seriously. Naturally, you don’t have as much control over the security of your data – but for many business owners, that’s a good thing because they don’t have the time, budget or resources available to worry about that. Most cloud providers have enterprise-grade security measures built-in to keep their data centers safe, such as:

  • Advanced firewalls to inspect traveling data packets for the purpose of responding to threats as soon as possible.
  • Intrusion detection to prevent intruders from getting past the network’s first line of defense.
  • Event logging to provide greater insight into actions taken on the network for better compliance and/or security efforts.
  • Encryption to keep all data stored at rest or in transit safe against unauthorized access if an intruder manages to get in.
  • Physical security with around-the-clock monitoring, armed guards, and fingerprint locks to keep the property safe.

If All of These Enterprise-Grade Security Measures Are Built-In, Do You Even Need to Worry About Cloud Security?

In the simplest terms, absolutely. When you’re using the cloud, you should be prepared to assume some new responsibilities when it comes to ensuring the security of your data and applications. Think about it… You’re storing your data on someone else’s environment. Even though the environment is secure, your data and applications are still your own responsibility. Here are a few best practices to keep in mind when using the cloud:

  • Pay attention to permissions: Not everyone needs permission to access the files you’re storing in the cloud. Think about what’s sensitive and give access to employees who need that information, but don’t allow every single employee to have access to every single file if it’s not necessary.
  • Safeguard each and every endpoint: If you’re accessing the cloud through web browsers, make sure you have strong security measures in place to safeguard those endpoints. This includes keeping browsers up-to-date and using endpoint security solutions, such as firewalls, to be safe.
  • Create a list of “safe” cloud options: There are many free cloud options available on the market, and unfortunately, many of them aren’t as safe as your employees may believe. Create a list of “safe” cloud options or enforce a policy that doesn’t allow for the storing of data on third-party applications.
  • Enable two-factor authentication as often as possible: Many cloud providers have the option to enable two-factor authentication, which means employees will need to use their password alongside a code sent to their phone or some other second authentication measure to log into the system.

Cloud Security Doesn’t Have to be Scary. It’s All About Staying Informed and Following the Proper Best Practices. Contact Us at (305) 944-7300 to Learn More.

Palindrome Consulting: Your Trusted Fort Lauderdale IT Support Company.

Like this article? Keep learning:

Increase Efficiency and Competitiveness with Outsourced IT Services

Lessons Learned At The FBI’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Forum

Are You Tired Of Waiting To Have Your Problem Solved?

Schedule your No-Obligation IT Assessment with Palindrome Consulting

Schedule Now

Elizabeth Mitrani
Elizabeth Mitrani
17:23 06 Aug 19
Palindrome Consulting was key in establishing my business and helps me keep it running. They are the consummate... professionals, incredibly knowledgeable and are always available to help. They have gone above and beyond to ensure that I was up and running quickly and that any issues that may arise on my end or dealt with immediately. I highly recommend Palindrome Consulting.read more
Moshe Rubinstein
Moshe Rubinstein
14:57 28 Jun 19
They are there every step of the way. Responsive and timely. The full service mentality mixed with the problem solving... abilities, is what makes them an easy choice.read more
Benjamin Wainberg
Benjamin Wainberg
14:09 28 Jun 19
Palindrome Consulting is customer centric. For Palindrome Data Safety is paramount; they keep their and our systems... updated with the newest technologies and are not shy at changing to better alternatives. Their platforms are always running and in the odd case there is an event, their technical team has an awesome response time.read more
Copier Man
Copier Man
13:56 28 Jun 19
We have been using Palindrome since 2005. They make my company feel like we are #1 all the time. Expert staff are... always available to help all my users all around the country.read more
Martin Feldman
Martin Feldman
16:43 26 Jun 19
As a partner in Fischer & Feldman, P.A. we have utilized Palindrome Consulting as our IT experts for many years. In... addition to keeping our server up and running, they are available to consult on the everchanging cloud and web landscape. We could not function as a successful law firm without their constant care, attention and almost IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TIME.read more
Rebecca Fischer
Rebecca Fischer
16:39 26 Jun 19
Palindrome has been my IT company for more than 15 years. We have been through four server and computer replacements... over the years all of which went smoothly. As technology has changed Palindrome has kept us current in their recommendations and are extremely responsive when we run into a software or hardware problem. We have been through hurricanes with Palindrome and felt confident they would have us up and running as quickly as possible and despite the fact we are probably a smaller client, they have treated us as one of their most important clients. I highly recommend Palindrome and have complete confidence in their capabilities and service. They have even gone the extra mile when we wanted to donate our old computers to a children's special needs school and delivered the computers, set them up and provided service for the same. Ilan Sredni is the consummate professional and has surrounded himself with top professionals and skilled technicians.read more
Nelson T
Nelson T
20:32 25 Jun 19
Palindrome Consulting has proven itself time and time again to be the epitome of professionalism and technical... expertise. They take the time to listen to your needs and then apply their wealth of technical knowledge to create truly innovative and robust solutions. They truly deliver piece of mind.read more
Next Reviews
js_loader