“Safety first”. With a slogan, this would be summed up, in the post-pandemic era and in the midst of a war with disastrous consequences in the heart of Europe, the digital arms race. Yes, because defending oneself is not only appropriate but also of vital importance for the thousands of companies that make the web their square.
Suffice it to say that today 98% of companies rely on some form of Cloud-Based infrastructure and more than three-quarters of them, 76% to be precise, have Multi-Cloud installations, consisting of two or more different service providers. These environments support business-critical applications along with sensitive data, both from customers and the company itself.
What should be emphasized at all costs is that the so-called “Cloud transition” requires particular attention especially to security. Cloud-based applications must be protected from attacks by cyber-criminals, which are increasingly common and increasingly frequent, and unauthorized access to data located on the Cloud must be prevented, in line with current legislation.
The ability to access the company portal from anywhere using cloud applications is convenient for employees, but it is also a potential new opportunity for cybercriminals who, with a series of stolen passwords, could access confidential information. There is also the prospect of hackers abusing cloud services to launch ransomware attacks and other malware campaigns.
Mistakes to avoid to ensure that your enterprise cloud security strategy delivers an increase in productivity and protects users and your network from cyberattacks and incidents.
We wanted to list 5 possible mistakes or missteps to avoid at all costs.
1. Don’t Leave Cloud Accounts Exposed and Without Security Controls
57% of organizations think it is difficult to adequately protect data in multi-cloud environments while complying with corporate policies and regulations. Different environments have different built-in control tools, which makes it difficult to have a consistent and uniform type of protection. However, it’s important to never leave your cloud accounts exposed and without security controls. Remembering passwords can be challenging, which is why many users use simple, common, or reused passwords. While this approach makes it easy for workers to break into their accounts, it becomes an easy target for hackers, particularly if breaching an email address or other business application that is part of the Cloud suite gives intruders the opportunity to escalate their privileges and gain additional control over systems. It is therefore essential that all Cloud accounts are properly protected, using a strong and unique password , and that they are also equipped with multi-factor authentication, so even if the password is cracked or guessed, there is an additional barrier that helps prevent the attack.
2. Don’t give all users the keys to the “kingdom”
Cloud applications and services are cost-effective and provide users with a variety of tools they need to be productive, all in a single environment. But different users have different needs, and most of them don’t need high-level privileges, particularly when that access could be easily abused by an unauthorized user.
It is therefore crucial for IT and security teams to ensure that admin privileges are only available to those who truly need them and that it is properly protected so that attackers are unable to gain access. Be careful, it is also crucial that users do not have the power to “increase their privileges” or create new accounts.
3. Make sure cloud applications are always monitored and find out who is using them
Businesses use a wide variety of cloud computing services, but the more applications you use, the harder it is to keep track of them. And that could provide a gateway for attackers to enter the network undetected.
It’s critical that IT departments have the tools they need to keep track of which cloud services are being used and who has access to them. In addition, enterprise cloud services should only be available to users who work for the organization. If someone leaves the company, access must be removed. It’s also important to ensure that cloud applications aren’t misconfigured.
It is critical that organizations are aware of how their cloud services interact with the open web and that only those who need these services can access them.
4. Don’t Ignore Security Updates and Patches: Cloud Software Needs Them Too
One of the most important things you can do to improve your network’s cybersecurity is to apply security updates and patches as soon as possible. Cybercriminals regularly try to exploit known vulnerabilities in applications to breach networks and lay the groundwork for cyberattacks. Cloud software and applications also need patching, and it’s critical that this work is done promptly to ensure that the network is resilient to cybercriminals trying to exploit its vulnerabilities.
5. Don’t rely solely on the cloud for data storage – keep backups offline in case of an emergency
One of the main advantages of the Cloud is the ability to store data and be able to access it from any corner of the globe with a simple click. However, this does not mean that the data stored in the Cloud is necessarily accessible 100% of the time. Systems can experience disruptions, and it may be possible for cybercriminals to tamper with data.
If the identity controls that protect cloud accounts are breached by cybercriminals, data could be deleted or held hostage – a common tactic used by ransomware gangs, for example, is to delete backups stored in the cloud. No matter how strong your cybersecurity controls are, protecting cloud accounts is especially important. Data needs to be backed up and stored offline because, if the worst happens and the data in the Cloud is momentarily inaccessible, there is an option to restore from backups.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance to save backups regularly so that the recovery point is as recent as possible.