Despite initial reluctance on the part of some telecom vendors, cloud computing is now key for improving business for many companies. When you adopt a cloud-based solution, you’re bringing on board more safety assurances, because you’re not relying on on-premise servers that either break down or are easily accessed by cybercriminals. In fact, cybersecurity is one of the main reasons more organizations are moving to the cloud.
If storing data in the cloud has not been something that’s crossed your mind, consider these two benefits, particularly in light of how pervasive cyberattacks are today:
1. Security
There is still the potential for a hacker to break into your database. However, cloud-based data is far more secure than data on your local server.
2. Quick Access to Data
With the cloud, your data and cloud-based applications are available to you as long as you have a connection. This gives you greater mobility to do what you need to do when you’re not in the office.
Controlling Access to Data
One of the biggest considerations to make where cybersecurity is concerned is who has access to what. Some organizations will completely avoid putting highly sensitive information in the cloud, but regardless of what you’re putting on it, be sure to control access so that employees who don’t need to see specific data do not have clearance to access it.
When you control access to data, you’re closing windows of opportunity to cybercriminals who target systems that aren’t tightly locked down. Keep in mind that when your employees have access to documents from anywhere at any time, so do the hackers, which is why “access only” limits must be set.
Encryption Is Your Friend
When you look at cloud-based solutions, disregard those that don’t offer encryption services. Furthermore, those that do offer encryption services should go above and beyond encrypting files that are going between your systems’ computers and the cloud. For example, a robust encryption service also includes an added layer of protection, which protects data that is “resting.”
Practice Better Passwords
Yes, this is still part of the conversation with cybersecurity because so many people continue to use weak passwords. Nearly half of all users will keep the same passwords for five years or longer, while nearly a quarter have been found to keep theirs for a decade. Make it a rule that nobody with access to your system can use a password with birthdates or names of pets or one that is less than 12 characters long, or use the same password for more than one account.
At TeleConsult, we work with more than 100 IT, telecom, and cloud vendors to provide the best telecom services. We offer customer support 24/7/365, so our clients are never without the assistance they need. Contact us to learn more.