Many industry insiders and information technology specialists tout the cloud as one of the safest ways to keep your precious data protected from hackers and pirates. Indeed, it is the safest method thus far – and one of the most efficient methods for backing up information. However, this doesn’t mean that you don’t still have to take measures to keep your information and data on the cloud safe. Cloud security is still an important facet of a cloud computing infrastructure. In the cloud, not only do you want to keep financial documentation safe, but you also want to keep confidential customer information safe as well. Here are five cloud computing security tips for 2018.
- Even the strongest password you can think of can be figured out within minutes. How is this possible? Well, hackers have developed advanced algorithms and software that can try millions of passwords at once. This software uses personal information and other data to infer what your password may be. So, it is critical to use multiple symbols and uppercase letters in your password, but even this may not be enough. It is also critical that you change your password at least once every two weeks.
- Make sure to use encryption software. This basically means that you turn each and every one of your files into a compressed or zipped file. However, within this file is prompt that allows you to choose a password. If you are uploading particularly delicate information into the cloud, you want to make sure that you have a password for every compressed file. Each file may have multiple – maybe even thousands of files inside it – but as long as the folder is encrypted, your data should be safe.
- Don’t keep your most sensitive information on the cloud. In fact, things like bank account numbers and other information should be kept out of the cloud. The cloud should be mainly reserved for storing other information, like client data and in-house documentation, but when it comes to the particularly delicate data, you want to keep it stored and encrypted in a hard drive or server inside of your office.
- Work with a cloud provider that takes safety and security very seriously. It is critical that you do your due diligence when looking for a cloud provider, because some may not have all the advanced methods of encryption and data security. For instance, a company has the experience necessary to not only help your company move into the cloud, but also to keep your company safe while in the cloud.
- Always back up. Cloud computing not only presents the risk for data breaches and information theft, but it also presents the risk for crashes and blackouts. A data wipeout could be devastating for your business, which is why it is critical to always have data backups. Many cloud providers provide automatic backups, so that if there ever was a crash, the information could be retrieved and your system could be back up and running again in no time at all. In the end, limiting downtime is a crucial factor in cloud security.