Top 5 Cloud Security Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

In the modern business environment, the use of cloud technology in doing business is gaining importance. It is flexible, cost-effective, and enables teams to work remotely. However, there is also a lot of responsibility that comes along with such convenience, in this case, security of your cloud environment.

The truth? There are numerous organizations, which make easy to perform moves that endanger their data and operations. Fortunately, the majority of these pitfalls may be avoided through proper awareness and equipment.

The initial move requires the service of application security monitoring that puts you in real-time insight of any cloud-based apps and systems you possess.

Below are the top five cloud security pitfalls, as well as how you can keep ahead of them.

1 Assuming the Cloud Provider Handles Everything

It is one of the most widespread and risky mistakes. It is perceived that when data goes to the cloud it is secure by default. That however is not true. The infrastructure is safeguarded by the cloud providers, however, you are in charge of your data, users, applications, and settings of access.

It is referred to as a shared responsibility model and its disregard may cause ready access to intruders.

How to Avoid It:

• Understand what you are getting in the cloud, and what you are not.
• Set up strong internal controls.
• Regularly audit permissions and access settings.

2. Weak or Mismanaged Access Controls

Many times, excessive authorizations are granted to the employees. Or worse still- old workers can still access the systems. Couple unmanaged access with bad password hygiene and you have a red carpet to the bad guys.

How to Avoid It:

• Adopt the least privilege access-provide users with the minimum they need.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to every user.
• Log in and alterations of access rights.

One of the greatest threats in cloud security is human error. And it is also one of the easiest to correct.

3. Poor Visibility Into Cloud Environments

Most companies are in a run to the cloud and fail to create visibility into their new systems. Then again, without live observation you will be out of touch of knowing something amiss until it is too late.

It is here that such tools as security would prove essential. They allow you to keep track of what occurs throughout your apps (user actions, to unusual actions).

How To Avoid It:

• Install real time monitoring and alert mechanisms.
• Use dashboards to monitor system health, as well as, usage and security log.
• Combine your tools and integrate them with SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) platforms.

4. Not Encrypting Data Properly

The information on the cloud travels all the time- across applications, users and systems. Unless that data is being encrypted it will be at risk. Many organizations neglect to have internal data encrypted or go into the assumption that the out of the box settings are sufficient.

How To Avoid It:

• Both data at rest (data stored) and in transit (data traveling) should be encrypted.
• Nevertheless, use Managed Encryption Keys or bring your own and have even greater control.
• Consider some form of periodic review of your encryption policy as systems change.

Effective encryption is comparable to seatbelt encryption. It does not prevent the crash, but saves your data, in case something has gone wrong.

5. Ignoring Backups and Recovery Planning

The cloud systems are subject to failure. It is possible to lose data. And you can be locked out by cyberattacks. Without effective backup and recovery, the chances are, you are left to find a solution within days, or none at all. Many teams think that their cloud platform automatically provides an automatic recovery capability.

How to Avoid It:

• Automate your backups and set up a scheduled exercise.
• Keeping copies of the stores in several regions or systems.
• Put your recovery plan to test every three to four months.

Final Thoughts

Cloud systems are mighty, and this is their ability only when secured. The positive news is? Security errors that occur in the cloud are avoidable. You do not have to be an expert in the field of technology. All you need to do is be vigilant, be aware, and deploy the necessary tools such as network monitoring to keep the threats at arms length or better still, stay ahead of it.

Begin by addressing the fundamentals: control access, encrypt the information, back up and invest in visibility. No matter the size of a team you are operating or the scope of your global infrastructure, cloud security is the community effort.