The popularity of cloud services has grown rapidly in the last couple of years. Enterprises are adopting cloud storage services faster than ever before. Even individual users are putting their trust in third-party cloud storage providers to store their personal files and media. Amid the productivity we are driven by today, users often neglect the security risks tied to cloud services. Here are the reasons why you should rethink your approach to cloud services.
The Risk of Cloud Implementation
Once they put their trust in a third-party cloud service provider, enterprises lose full control over their data. File storing/sharing services based on the cloud take confidential data out of the enterprise’s IT environment, thus exposing it to a variety of risks that the company cannot control.
This means that confidential data may and most likely will be seen by unauthorized personnel on the cloud or it can be exposed to other third parties on the network. Another risk tied to cloud implementation is data leakage, which can take place in case your confidential data is mishandled by the cloud service provider.
Lastly, the adoption of cloud services has given rise to the BYOD approach also known as “bring your own device.” While this approach saves enterprises a lot of money since they don’t have to provide devices to their employees, it also exposes their data to a lot of risks. Any employee who has access to the company’s cloud network from a personal device is a vulnerability for that business.
After all, companies cannot account for personal device security. It is up to the employees to maintain the optimal security of their devices and, in most cases, they don’t put too much effort into encrypting or scanning their laptops.
Top Three Cloud Security Solutions
While you can never have full control over the security of your files on the cloud, you can take additional safety measures to protect your data as much as possible. Start by opting for a reliable cloud service provider who guarantees optimal security. If they offer any additional security features, consider investing in those if you’re storing confidential files on the cloud.
Users can also encrypt their files themselves by using file encryption software. Speaking of encryption, make sure to activate a VPN each time you log into your cloud account to protect your online data and traffic from any snooping eyes. Lastly, implement good password managing habits by frequently changing your passwords and sticking to lengthy and random combinations of characters.
Better Safe than Sorry
Cloud services are expected to grow exponentially in the upcoming years. However, with the growth of cloud service demand, the number of security threats is going to rise as well.
Therefore, it is crucial to rethink your approach to cloud security and start taking active steps towards protecting your data on the cloud. Even if the passive approach didn’t cost you any consequences yet, you cannot be sure it won’t cause issues in the future.
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